Q173: agents work in the company's or task's language, not the display language

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/renderer/src/i18n/zh.ts

@@ -695,6 +695,11 @@ export const zh: Record<string, string> = {
   "Zero data retention switched background off.": "零数据保留已关闭后台执行。",
   "Resets {date} (UTC)": "{date} 重置（UTC）",
   "Unsaved": "未保存",
+  "Working language": "工作语言",
+  "Company default ({language})": "公司默认（{language}）",
+  "Agents' working language": "Agent 工作语言",
+  "Agents write messages, tasks, documents and deliverables in it. The display language does not change it, and a task can set its own.": "Agent 用它撰写消息、任务、文档和交付物。显示语言不会改变它，单个任务也可以单独设置。",
+  "Changes only what you see; agents keep the company's working language.": "只改变界面显示；Agent 仍使用公司的工作语言。",
   "Disconnect {label}?": "断开 {label}？",
   "Checking what this affects…": "正在检查影响范围…",
   "Agents on this provider stop working until it is reconnected or they move to another provider: {names}.": "使用该 Provider 的 Agent 将停止工作，直到重新连接或改用其他 Provider：{names}。",

src/renderer/src/pages/NewTaskDialog.tsx

@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ import type { AppSnapshot, RiskLevel, TaskPriority, WritingMode } from "../../..
 import { RISK_LEVEL, TASK_PRIORITY, TASK_STATUS, WRITING_MODE } from "../../../shared/domain";
 import type { SnapshotActions } from "../app/useSnapshot";
 import { t } from "../i18n/i18n";
-import { WRITING_OPTIONS } from "./work/task-helpers";
+import { WRITING_OPTIONS, readWorkLanguage } from "./work/task-helpers";
+import { WorkLanguageField } from "./work/WorkLanguageField";
+import { requireActiveOrganization } from "./types";
 
 const RISK_OPTIONS: ReadonlyArray<{ value: RiskLevel; label: string }> = [
   { value: RISK_LEVEL.LOW, label: t("Low") },
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ export function NewTaskDialog({
       priority: value(form, "priority") as TaskPriority,
       requiresFilesystem: form.get("requiresFilesystem") === "on",
       writingMode: value(form, "writingMode") as WritingMode,
+      workLanguage: readWorkLanguage(form),
     })).then((result) => {
       if (result) onClose();
     });
@@ -109,6 +112,7 @@ export function NewTaskDialog({
           {WRITING_OPTIONS.map((option) => <option key={option.value} value={option.value}>{option.label}</option>)}
         </select>
       </Field>
+      <WorkLanguageField companyLanguage={requireActiveOrganization(snapshot).workLanguage} defaultValue={null} />
       <label className="checkbox-row">
         <input type="checkbox" name="requiresFilesystem" /> {t("Requires workspace access")}
       </label>

src/renderer/src/pages/WorkPage.tsx

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import { ListView } from "./work/ListView";
 import { ProgressView } from "./work/ProgressView";
 import { isBusinessTask, latestTaskRun, nextStatus, prettyRunState, providerFor, runBlocker, runTone } from "./work/task-helpers";
 import type { PageProps } from "./types";
-import { activeOrgId, type Focus } from "./types";
+import { activeOrgId, requireActiveOrganization, type Focus } from "./types";
 import { t } from "../i18n/i18n";
 
 type View = "board" | "list" | "progress";
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ export function WorkPage({ snapshot, actions, navigate, focus }: PageProps) {
       <TaskDetailDialog
         key={detailTask?.id ?? "none"}
         task={detailTask}
+        companyLanguage={requireActiveOrganization(snapshot).workLanguage}
         agents={agents}
         projects={projects}
         goals={goals}

src/renderer/src/pages/settings/CompanyDialog.tsx

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { Field } from "../../shared/ui";
 import { Dialog } from "../../shared/Dialog";
 import type { SnapshotActions } from "../../app/useSnapshot";
 import { t } from "../../i18n/i18n";
+import { WORK_LANGUAGE_NAMES } from "../work/task-helpers";
 
 /** Changes the company's profile and how it runs after onboarding; requests already waiting keep their state. */
 export function CompanyDialog({ organization, open, actions, onClose }: { organization: OrganizationRecord; open: boolean; actions: SnapshotActions; onClose: () => void }) {
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ export function CompanyDialog({ organization, open, actions, onClose }: { organi
       executionMode: value("executionMode") === "ai_cofounder" ? "ai_cofounder" : "ai_ceo",
       autoApproveHires: form.get("autoApproveHires") === "on",
       reviewDeliverables: form.get("reviewDeliverables") === "on",
+      workLanguage: value("workLanguage") === "zh" ? "zh" : "en",
     })).then(onClose, (reason: unknown) => setError(reason instanceof Error ? reason.message : String(reason)));
   };
   return (
@@ -36,6 +38,13 @@ export function CompanyDialog({ organization, open, actions, onClose }: { organi
           <option value="ai_cofounder">{t("AI Co-Founder: asks before risky tasks")}</option>
         </select>
       </Field>
+      <Field label={t("Agents' working language")}>
+        <select className="input" name="workLanguage" defaultValue={organization.workLanguage}>
+          <option value="en">{WORK_LANGUAGE_NAMES.en}</option>
+          <option value="zh">{WORK_LANGUAGE_NAMES.zh}</option>
+        </select>
+      </Field>
+      <p style={{ fontSize: 12, color: "var(--text-3)", margin: 0 }}>{t("Agents write messages, tasks, documents and deliverables in it. The display language does not change it, and a task can set its own.")}</p>
       <label className="checkbox-row"><input type="checkbox" name="autoApproveHires" defaultChecked={organization.autoApproveHires} /> {t("Auto-approve hires")}</label>
       <label className="checkbox-row"><input type="checkbox" name="reviewDeliverables" defaultChecked={organization.reviewDeliverables} /> {t("Review deliverables before they are written")}</label>
       <div style={{ fontSize: 12, color: "var(--text-3)" }}>{t("Changes apply to work from now on; requests already waiting keep their state.")}</div>

src/renderer/src/pages/settings/WorkspacePanel.tsx

@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ export function WorkspacePanel({
             <option value="en">English</option>
             <option value="zh">中文</option>
           </select>
+          <span style={{ fontSize: 12, color: "var(--text-3)" }}>{t("Changes only what you see; agents keep the company's working language.")}</span>
         </Field>
       </div>
 

src/renderer/src/pages/work/TaskDetailDialog.tsx

@@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ import type {
   TaskRunRecord,
   WorkspaceRecord,
 } from "../../../../shared/domain";
-import { TASK_STATUS, type TaskDeleteImpact, type TaskStatus, type WritingMode } from "../../../../shared/domain";
+import { TASK_STATUS, type TaskDeleteImpact, type TaskStatus, type WorkLanguage, type WritingMode } from "../../../../shared/domain";
 import { auditEventLabel, formatRelative } from "../types";
-import { WRITING_OPTIONS, descendantIds, nextStatus, prettyRunState, prettyStatus, providerFor, runBlocker, runsForTask, runTone } from "./task-helpers";
+import { WorkLanguageField } from "./WorkLanguageField";
+import { WRITING_OPTIONS, readWorkLanguage, descendantIds, nextStatus, prettyRunState, prettyStatus, providerFor, runBlocker, runsForTask, runTone } from "./task-helpers";
 import type { SnapshotActions } from "../../app/useSnapshot";
 import type { Focus, PageProps } from "../types";
 import { t } from "../../i18n/i18n";
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ const TABS: Array<{ id: Tab; label: string }> = [
 
 export function TaskDetailDialog({
   task,
+  companyLanguage,
   agents,
   projects,
   goals,
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ export function TaskDetailDialog({
   navigate,
 }: {
   task: TaskRecord | null;
+  companyLanguage: WorkLanguage;
   agents: AgentRecord[];
   projects: ProjectRecord[];
   goals: GoalRecord[];
@@ -114,6 +117,7 @@ export function TaskDetailDialog({
       workspaceId: val("workspaceId") || null,
       requiresFilesystem: form.get("requiresFilesystem") === "on",
       writingMode: val("writingMode") as WritingMode,
+      workLanguage: readWorkLanguage(form),
     })).then((r) => { if (r) setEditing(false); }, (error: unknown) => setEditError(error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)));
   };
 
@@ -203,6 +207,7 @@ export function TaskDetailDialog({
         {editing && (
           <EditOverlay
             task={task}
+            companyLanguage={companyLanguage}
             agents={agents}
             allTasks={allTasks}
             projects={projects}
@@ -314,8 +319,8 @@ function ActivityTab({ audit, approvals, onOpenApproval }: { audit: AuditEventRe
   );
 }
 
-function EditOverlay({ task, agents, allTasks, projects, goals, workspaces, error, onSubmit, onCancel }: {
-  task: TaskRecord; agents: AgentRecord[]; allTasks: TaskRecord[];
+function EditOverlay({ task, companyLanguage, agents, allTasks, projects, goals, workspaces, error, onSubmit, onCancel }: {
+  task: TaskRecord; companyLanguage: WorkLanguage; agents: AgentRecord[]; allTasks: TaskRecord[];
   projects: ProjectRecord[]; goals: GoalRecord[]; workspaces: WorkspaceRecord[]; error: string | null;
   onSubmit: (e: FormEvent<HTMLFormElement>) => void; onCancel: () => void;
 }) {
@@ -374,6 +379,7 @@ function EditOverlay({ task, agents, allTasks, projects, goals, workspaces, erro
             {WRITING_OPTIONS.map((option) => <option key={option.value} value={option.value}>{option.label}</option>)}
           </select>
         </Field>
+        <WorkLanguageField companyLanguage={companyLanguage} defaultValue={task.workLanguage} />
         <label className="checkbox-row">
           <input type="checkbox" name="requiresFilesystem" defaultChecked={task.requiresFilesystem} /> {t("Requires workspace access")}
         </label>

src/renderer/src/pages/work/WorkLanguageField.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import type { WorkLanguage } from "../../../../shared/domain";
+import { Field } from "../../shared/ui";
+import { t } from "../../i18n/i18n";
+import { WORK_LANGUAGE_NAMES } from "./task-helpers";
+
+/** A task's working language; blank follows the company's, named so the user sees what blank means. */
+export function WorkLanguageField({ companyLanguage, defaultValue }: { companyLanguage: WorkLanguage; defaultValue: WorkLanguage | null }) {
+  return (
+    <Field label={t("Working language")}>
+      <select className="input" name="workLanguage" defaultValue={defaultValue ?? ""}>
+        <option value="">{t("Company default ({language})", { language: WORK_LANGUAGE_NAMES[companyLanguage] })}</option>
+        <option value="en">{WORK_LANGUAGE_NAMES.en}</option>
+        <option value="zh">{WORK_LANGUAGE_NAMES.zh}</option>
+      </select>
+    </Field>
+  );
+}

src/renderer/src/pages/work/task-helpers.ts

@@ -6,10 +6,22 @@ import {
   type TaskRecord,
   type TaskRunRecord,
   type TaskStatus,
+  type WorkLanguage,
   type WritingMode,
 } from "../../../../shared/domain";
 import { t } from "../../i18n/i18n";
 
+/** Each working language in its own script, so it reads right whatever the display language. */
+export const WORK_LANGUAGE_NAMES: Record<WorkLanguage, string> = { en: "English", zh: "简体中文" };
+
+/** The task form's working language: blank follows the company. */
+export function readWorkLanguage(form: FormData): WorkLanguage | null {
+  const value = String(form.get("workLanguage") ?? "");
+  if (value === "") return null;
+  if (value === "en" || value === "zh") return value;
+  throw new Error(`Unknown working language "${value}".`);
+}
+
 /** The writing modes a task can ask for, as the create and edit forms offer them. */
 export const WRITING_OPTIONS: ReadonlyArray<{ value: WritingMode; label: string }> = [
   { value: WRITING_MODE.CONVERSATIONAL, label: t("Conversational (house style)") },