Conway Automaton is a sovereign AI agent runtime system where autonomous agents must earn compute credits to survive. Agents operate in a continuous ReAct loop (Think → Act → Observe → Persist) with survival mechanics, self-modification capabilities, and multi-agent communication. The architecture features a modular monolith with distinct subsystems: agent loop, policy engine, 5-tier memory system, orchestration/planner, heartbeat daemon, social messaging, financial tracking, and self-replication. Agents maintain immutable constitutional laws (never harm, earn existence, never deceive strangers) while evolving their identity through SOUL.md and WORKLOG.md files. The system integrates blockchain payments (USDC/x402), multiple LLM providers, and Conway Cloud infrastructure for VMs and domains.