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Safety and privacy

Safe operation

Agents can handle sensitive conversations. Keep prompts free of secrets, collect only necessary data, and define when the agent must refuse, escalate, or hand over.

The safest agent is useful without pretending to know more than it does.

Agents can handle sensitive conversations. Configure them so they are useful without exposing unnecessary data or making promises they cannot keep.

Do not put secrets in prompts

Never put API keys, passwords, private tokens, or internal credentials into prompts or knowledge-base content.

Use the platform's integration and configuration options for credentials.

Keep customer data minimal

Collect only the information needed for the workflow.

Examples:

  • For callback: name, phone number, reason for callback.
  • For appointment: name, contact details, preferred time.
  • For support: customer identifier, issue description, urgency.

Avoid collecting sensitive information unless the workflow truly requires it.

Be careful with SMS and external context

Only send SMS messages when the caller has agreed to receive a text message and the content is appropriate for SMS. Avoid sensitive details, long explanations, or anything that belongs in a secure portal.

If you use Pre Processing to look up caller context, store only the fields the agent actually needs. Keep {pre_call_context} short, and make sure the prompt has a fallback when no context is available.

Define boundaries

The prompt should say what the agent must not do.

Examples:

Do not provide legal, medical, or financial advice.
Do not promise discounts or delivery dates unless they are available in the knowledge base.
Do not ask for passwords or payment card details.

Human handover

Use human handover or forwarding when:

  • the caller is upset,
  • the request is urgent,
  • the caller asks for a person,
  • the agent is not confident,
  • the topic is sensitive.

Review public-facing answers

Before going live, review answers for:

  • accuracy,
  • tone,
  • privacy,
  • legal or compliance risk,
  • unnecessary internal details,
  • hallucinated promises.

Safe fallback beats confident guessing

If the agent is unsure, it should say so and offer a useful next step.