1.4. The Four Decision Filters
💡 First Principle: Almost every AI-103 scenario can be routed by asking four questions in order — Foundry boundary, grounding, agent workflow, modality. These filters convert "I'm not sure which answer" into "I know which layer and capability this lives in," which is exactly the reasoning the scenario questions reward.
Why care: this exam rarely asks you to recall a definition cold. It hands you a requirement and four plausible answers, three of which are wrong because they sit at the wrong layer, use the wrong grounding strategy, over- or under-use agency, or address the wrong modality. The filters are your triage. They're worth memorizing not as trivia but as a procedure you run on every scenario.
⚠️ Common Misconception: Learners assume the hard part is knowing the services. On a scenario exam, the hard part is placement and fit — and two answers can both name real, correct services while only one fits the requirement. The filters keep you from picking a true-but-irrelevant option.
