James Gibson's theory of affordances explains how we perceive the environment based on the actions it allows, not just its physical properties. A handle affords pulling, and a button affords pressing; these are inherent promises of use. Designers leverage this by creating signifiers, cues that communicate affordances, making products intuitive. Technology functions similarly, with explicit and implicit affordances guiding user interaction. When these affordances work, they fade into the background, but broken promises, like a chatbot unable to process a refund, become noticeable.The author extends Gibson's theory to technology, introducing concepts like affordance debt, budget, and tests. Affordance debt accrues when a system makes promises it cannot keep, eroding user trust. An affordance budget represents the finite set of promises users are willing to believe a system can fulfill. Exceeding this budget, by offering too many unfulfilled promises, leads to a loss of trust.Affordance tests are crucial for verifying if the promises a system appears to make are consistently deliverable. These tests focus on follow-through rather than mere accuracy, ensuring user expectations align with system capabilities. This practical framework helps build trustworthy technology by managing the promises systems make to users. Ultimately, trust in technology hinges on its ability to keep the promises it offers.