Scope drift: when an AI agent changes more than you asked
By the AgentReceipt team · Updated 13 November 2026
You ask for a small fix and the diff touches a dozen files. That gap between the request and the change is scope drift.
Why it happens
Agents try to be thorough. They rename things, tidy nearby code or fix what they notice along the way. Each step may look reasonable, and together they make a change nobody asked for.
Why it matters
Unrequested edits get less review attention because the reviewer expects a small change. They can also break things unrelated to the task and make a revert harder.
How to catch it
Put the prompt next to the file list. If a file has no connection to the request, ask why it changed. AgentReceipt flags scope drift by comparing the files changed with the words and file names in your prompt. Files with no connection to it are flagged, with a confidence level.
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