Automations are scheduled routines the entity runs on its own — cron-style schedules with full perceive cycles, optional platform delivery, self-modification, and journal integration.
Automations require daemon mode (bumblebee run, not bumblebee talk). APScheduler manages the schedule.
Enable
automations:
enabled: true
max_automations: 50
max_failures: 5
How they work
When an automation fires, the entity receives a synthetic user message describing the routine and its run count. It runs a full perceive cycle — tools, reasoning, memory — just like a real conversation. The result can be:
Delivered
If deliver_to is set (e.g. telegram:CHAT_ID), the reply is sent to that platform. The user sees a proactive message from the entity.Journaled
If no delivery target or journal is enabled, the entity writes a private journal entry. The automation still ran — the entity thought about something on its own.Managing automations
Entities create and manage their own routines through conversation:
| Tool | What it does |
|---|
create_automation | New routine with name, cron schedule, prompt, optional delivery |
edit_automation | Modify fields on an existing routine |
delete_automation | Remove a routine |
list_automations | Show all routines |
toggle_automation | Enable or disable |
run_automation_now | Trigger immediately |
/routines lists all automations with emoji indicators, natural schedule descriptions, and delivery targets.
Self-modification
After each successful run, the automation engine checks whether the entity wants to modify its own schedule. The entity can:
- Reschedule — natural language parsed to cron
- Disable — pause the routine
- Self-destruct — optional LLM YES/NO evaluation on a condition, then delete
Failure handling
Consecutive failures increment a counter. At max_failures (default 5), the automation is disabled and removed from the scheduler. An apology-style message is broadcast to configured platforms.
Emergence
Emergence analyzes the entity’s recent behavior and suggests new automations it might benefit from — grounded in actual memory and relationships, not generic ideas.
automations:
emergence:
enabled: true
analysis_interval: 7200
max_suggestions: 3
- Episode word frequency — what topics come up most
- Relationship gaps — high warmth + long silence = “check in on someone”
- Drive state — persistently high curiosity might suggest a research routine
Suggestions include a title, reasoning, example schedule, and optional delivery target.
Journal integration
automations:
journal:
enabled: true
max_entries: 1000
journal.md. This gives the entity a private record of its autonomous activity — what it thought about, what it did, and when.
Automation definitions
Definitions persist in the entity database (SQLite or Postgres). They survive restarts and redeploys. 
