# Council of High Intelligence Chairman Selection Algorithm: 4-Tier Priority Logic

> Understand the council chairman selection algorithm. Discover its 4-tier priority logic for automatic synthesis model designation in the coordinator protocol.

- Repository: [nyk/council-of-high-intelligence](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence)
- Tags: deep-dive
- Published: 2026-07-03

---

**The chairman selection algorithm** follows a strict four-tier priority hierarchy—explicit CLI override, config file override, auto-selection from a non-panel provider, and single-provider fallback—to designate the synthesis model during STEP 1.7 of the coordinator protocol.

The `0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence` repository implements a **deliberation protocol** where multiple models analyze a prompt before a single **Chairman** synthesizes the final verdict. This selection process is not random; it is governed by a deterministic algorithm defined in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md) and configured via [`configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml), ensuring the synthesis model ideally brings a distinct training bias compared to the deliberation panel.

## Understanding the Chairman Role

In the council’s architecture, the **Chairman** is the dedicated model responsible for the final synthesis step (Step 6), occurring after the initial deliberation rounds (Steps 1-5). By design, the Chairman **does not participate in the analysis rounds**, creating a separation between deliberation and verdict generation. A hard constraint generally forbids the Chairman from sharing a provider with panel members to ensure diverse reasoning perspectives, though this rule is relaxed in single-provider environments.

## The 4-Tier Selection Algorithm

The coordinator applies these rules in strict order; the first matching condition determines the Chairman.

### Tier 1 – Explicit CLI Override

The highest priority is given to user input via the `--chairman` command-line flag. If supplied, the coordinator uses the specified provider tag or model alias directly.

Valid inputs include provider tags (`anthropic`, `openai`, `google`, `ollama`, `nvidia_nim`, `cursor_cli`) or specific model aliases (`opus`, `sonnet`, `gpt-5.4`, `gemini-2.5-pro`). This logic is implemented in **STEP 1.7** of the protocol as documented in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md) (lines 35-38).

```bash

# Explicitly designate Gemini 2.5 Pro as the Chairman

council --chairman gemini-2.5-pro

```

### Tier 2 – Configuration File Override

If no CLI flag is present, the system checks [`configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml) for a non-null `chairman:` block. When defined, this configuration statically assigns the provider and model, bypassing the auto-selection logic entirely.

According to [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md) (lines 38-39), the coordinator adopts these values immediately upon detection of the configuration block.

### Tier 3 – Auto-Select from Distinct Provider

In the absence of overrides, the **default auto-selection** activates. The algorithm selects the **highest-tier model** available from a provider that is **not already represented on the deliberation panel**. This ensures the synthesizing model offers a fresh perspective.

Tier mappings (e.g., `high` → `opus`, `sonnet`) are defined per provider in [`configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml) (lines 30-36). If multiple providers offer the same highest tier, the tie is broken by the provider order in the detection JSON.

### Tier 4 – Single-Provider Fallback

When the system detects only one provider (e.g., an Anthropic-only setup), the algorithm defaults to the **highest-tier model of that sole provider**. In this scenario, the Chairman inherently shares a provider with panel members, and the verdict metadata notes this constraint. This fallback is described in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md) (lines 39-41).

## Configuration and Tier Mappings

The [`configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml) file defines the default tier mappings and optional static overrides. The coordinator references this file to resolve model tiers during the auto-selection phase.

```yaml

# configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml structure

chairman:
  provider: openai
  model: gpt-5.4

providers:
  anthropic:
    tiers:
      high: opus
      medium: sonnet
  openai:
    tiers:
      high: gpt-5.4

```

## Practical Implementation Examples

The following commands demonstrate how the four-tier algorithm behaves in practice:

**1. Explicit Override via CLI**

```bash
council --chairman opus

```

**2. Config Override via YAML**
Configure [`configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml) as shown above, then run:

```bash
council

```

**3. Auto-Select (Multi-Provider)**
With no flags and no config block, auto-select triggers:

```bash
council

# Selects highest-tier model from a provider not on the panel

```

**4. Single-Provider Fallback**
In a Claude-only environment:

```bash
council

# Automatically selects Anthropic's `opus` model

```

## Constraints and Metadata Recording

The selection algorithm operates under strict operational constraints. The chosen Chairman is strictly excluded from deliberation rounds (Steps 1-5) to prevent circular reasoning. Upon selection, the system records the choice in the verdict metadata using the format `Chairman: <name> (<provider>)`, as implemented in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md) (lines 54-57).

## Summary

- The **chairman selection algorithm** is a deterministic, ordered priority system defined in [`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md) **STEP 1.7**.
- **Priority order**: CLI flag (`--chairman`) → Config file (`chairman:` block) → Auto-select (distinct provider) → Single-provider fallback.
- **Auto-selection** prefers the highest-tier model from a provider not present on the panel, using tier mappings from [`configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml).
- **Single-provider setups** relax the distinct-provider constraint, selecting the highest-tier available model.
- Selection is recorded in verdict metadata as `Chairman: <name> (<provider>)`.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do I force a specific model to become the Chairman?

Use the **`--chairman`** command-line flag followed by the model alias or provider name. For example, `council --chairman sonnet` explicitly designates Anthropic’s Sonnet model for synthesis, bypassing all automatic selection logic.

### Can the Chairman be the same model as a panel member?

Normally, no. A hard constraint prevents the Chairman from sharing a provider with deliberation members to ensure cognitive diversity. However, in **single-provider environments**, this constraint is automatically relaxed, and the highest-tier model of that provider assumes the Chairman role.

### How are model tiers defined for the auto-selection algorithm?

Tiers are defined in **[`configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml)**. Each provider entry maps tier labels (e.g., `high`, `medium`) to specific model aliases. The coordinator uses these mappings to identify the "highest-tier" model when executing the Tier 3 auto-selection rule.

### Where is the chairman selection logic documented in the source code?

The algorithm is explicitly defined in **[`SKILL.md`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/SKILL.md)** between lines 29-41, which describes **STEP 1.7** of the coordinator protocol. The tier mappings and optional configuration overrides are specified in **[`configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml`](https://github.com/0xNyk/council-of-high-intelligence/blob/main/configs/auto-route-defaults.yaml)** (lines 30-36).