An agent needs a useful exit when it cannot finish. Define that exit as part of the customer workflow.
Set escalation conditions
Include missing authority, unresolved contradictions and repeated tool errors. Limits are enforced by the application where appropriate.
Prepare the handoff
Provide completed work, evidence and the exact open question. Protect source permissions. The person should know whether any action already occurred.
Verify continuity
Test unavailable reviewers and resumed tasks. Ask the partner to show where escalations are tracked and who owns them. The NIST AI risk framework offers broader risk-management context. Your acceptance needs the concrete transition that lets an authorized colleague continue without guessing the agent's state.
Related reading : AI agents for support refunds: separate eligibility from payment execution. Discuss your project scope with Sky Vaults.