Can I configure my AI agent to prevent conversation handoff to agents?

<h2 id="h_01KWH1Y19G4GMRWYTAZBYSV32R">Question</h2><p>How do I avoid automatically transferring customers to my team of agents? I don't want end users to contact a human. The AI agent is the only option. My support flow is impacted. I want the AI agent to act as a self-service tool and avoid unintended escalations.</p><h2 id="h_01M1QM3PGKX72PJ2G5YAV7V8A4">Answer</h2><p>You can prevent handoffs to agents by removing every escalation option. Instead of transfer of AI agent conversations to a human agent, define a custom response that informs customers that no handoff occurs and offers workarounds. Test and monitor the result.</p><p>Use the sections below to find your own account's settings:</p><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: right;">
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</script><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01M1QM3PGK4A5N5AWNZ7EZQBJF">AI agents - Essential</h3></div><div class="panel">
<div class="note">Note: If the word <strong>Essential</strong> appears in your <strong>AI agents</strong> settings, you use this feature.</div>
<ol id="topic_bqy_ycd_f2c__ol_swt_b2d_f2c">
<li data-list-item-id="edb5c5adca2185bd86a29b63f2dcea094">In <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Admin Center</a>, click <img src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/icon_ai.png" alt="AI agent" width="16" height="16" id="topic_bqy_ycd_f2c__d8e1272"> <strong>AI</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong>AI agents &gt; AI agents</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e91304ccafac237b8a6f97fd9c45ae47f">Click the name of the AI agent you want to edit</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e496804ec95d46a2c9e101e9bb90cb611">Click the <strong>Messaging behavior</strong> tab, then click each message to view it</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e841a315919af871c9dc05b973e2bfa27">Remove the options to reach an agent. In the <strong>Start of the conversation</strong> tab, deselect <strong>Add option to talk to a human</strong>. In the <strong>AI agent replies</strong> tab &gt; click <strong>Helpful</strong>, then deselect <strong>Add option to talk to a human</strong>. In the <strong>AI agent replies</strong> tab &gt; click <strong>Unhelpful</strong>, then deselect <strong>Add option to talk to a human</strong>. In the <strong>If the AI agent can't answer the question</strong> tab, deselect <strong>Add option to talk to a human.</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ee71f6e20f631e3ff01eb592870fe7e69">Click the <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8774095741466-Customizing-the-standard-responses-for-an-AI-agent-on-a-messaging-channel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Escalation</a> tab &gt; Show a custom response &gt; Under <strong>Message*</strong>, write a message to tell customers that no handoff will happen. Tell customers to use a different channel, such as a website, form, email address, or telephone number, and that this AI agent can't create a ticket.<br><img src="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/9866949683098" alt="AI agent" width="500px">
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e63681b2e8672dcf36ad049d370a4af40">Click <strong>Publish AI agent</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e19f74555bed20c3e888781b3bd711165">Test and monitor the workflow to understand the AI agent experience and pinpoint any pitfalls</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e4d4a5b02827c2463da0098621eef49c1">Adjust your workflow based on any step that blocks a smooth experience for your customers</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e5d27ae2934acffd3aef1a7b562832c14">Plan to train your AI agent over time to improve its performance</li>
</ol>
</div><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01M1QM3PGKJ6108D9T9150PZR0">AI agent for messaging (Legacy)</h3></div><div class="panel">
<div class="note">Note: If you drafted or published an AI agent as of February 2, 2025, you use <strong>AI agent for messaging (Legacy)</strong>.</div>
<p>Create an <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4422584657434-Creating-answers-for-common-customer-questions-in-AI-agents-for-messaging-Legacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">answer</a> with the flow of your choice:</p>
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="e20024861573f5081c81ced85c4bbe350">In <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Admin Center</a> &gt; click <img src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/icon_ai.png" alt="AI agent" width="16" height="16" id="topic_qkv_hxn_2yb__d10e19"> <strong>AI</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong>AI agents</strong> &gt; <strong>AI agents</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e5f2f51425c32b92bff7121bacd2580c8">Click the name of the AI agent you want to edit</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e1171e09a40ae5eb2d94238dc19ae3810">Click the <strong>Answers</strong> tab, then click <strong>Create answer</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e65b23549bc7c4a17b4929572ef54b9b3">Select the type of answer you want to use, for example <strong>Get promo code</strong> &gt; <strong>Next</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="eed23e59bd117369de474a21c8cef1729">Remove any <strong>Transfer</strong> step, if you see it in the workflow. Click <strong>Transfer</strong> &gt; In the top right corner of the page, click <strong>...</strong> &gt; <strong>Delete this step.</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e2ecdcecdf4b5f88011254723e180f97d">Hover over the stage you want to update and click <strong>+</strong> &gt; <strong>Send message</strong> step, or edit any current <strong>Message</strong> step</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e435e2c5c2c59bf7dee07c6914362f361">Under <strong>AI agent message</strong>, add the message you want to share with your customer. Tell customers to use a different channel, such as a website, form, email address, or telephone number, and that this AI agent can't create a ticket.</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e321e9235e2bcff28a52c4fe79db77e09">Click <strong>Done</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e5eb998fd9bb37502a2addcf5f46d4240">Click the <strong>Messaging behavior</strong> tab, then in each sub-tab, remove any option named <strong>Talk to a human</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e77f317aa8a3eda3f3f74979dd0da3f00">Under <strong>Answers (up to 10)</strong>, include the answer you worked on in step 4</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ea620864f58766af1655f23e231fd6e48">Click <strong>Publish AI agent</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e336f36f74dabd287650983a98bc916c2">Test and monitor the workflow to understand the AI agent experience and pinpoint any pitfalls</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e79ab4065b4526a560e73c9abe3b1a0de">Adjust your workflow based on any step that blocks a smooth experience for your customers</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e744a96f49eae66044ac4d27b4040ba7f">Plan to train your AI agent over time to improve its performance</li>
</ol>
</div><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01M1QM3PGK222BR01A6XGBFMAG">AI agents - Advanced</h3></div><div class="panel">
<div class="note">Note: This feature is available if you purchased the <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8725042447002-About-the-AI-agents-Advanced-add-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AI agents - Advanced add-on</a>.</div>
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="e7dbb2d3e044f15fe4df8b1607efa1936">In <strong>AI agents - Advanced</strong>, in the top right corner, use the AI agent dropdown to select the AI agent you want to edit a dialogue for</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e56d9e58ef9cf0541e1deb4aacd9095e6">In the main menu on the left, click <strong>Content</strong> &gt; <strong>Use cases</strong> for zero-training AI agents or <strong>Content</strong> &gt; <strong>Topics</strong> for expression-based AI agents</li>
<li data-list-item-id="eafdd87ee35e24449888ec0bfdde9c932">Select the <strong>Use case</strong> or <strong>Topic</strong> that contains the dialogue you want to edit</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e89f092c26ad476f3604f020614e16e35">Select the <strong>Replies</strong> tab</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e37fa9fe6305b2f20a7468b7961741c5e">Select the reply you want to edit</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e3303d58422fa102347e7b2a369f34a49">Click <strong>Edit dialogue</strong> to open the <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749494810" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dialogue builder</a>
</li>
</ol>
<div class="note tip">
<span class="tiptitle">Tip: </span>If you have a complex dialogue, use the new native search to quickly find all escalation points. Click the magnifying glass icon or press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) and type "Escalation" to highlight every escalation block in your flow.</div>
<ol start="7">
<li data-list-item-id="eb1e312069f767fd97b3803dc72d0b04a">Hover over any <strong>Escalation</strong> block that may appear &gt; click <strong>Escalation</strong><br><img src="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/article_attachments/9880541570202" alt="AI agent" width="500px">
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e88f6ae97533b55f3cb43d1d010df3c04">Click the trash icon to remove the option to speak to an agent</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e203737c8204c8209a8e7f64018fabf45">Where the escalation was, click the <strong>+</strong> icon &gt; add an <strong>AI agent message</strong> <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749494810-Using-the-dialogue-builder-to-create-conversation-flows-for-advanced-AI-agents#topic_krz_vym_g2c" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">block</a> and include the message you want to share with your customer. Tell customers to use a different channel, such as a website, form, email address, or telephone number, and that this AI agent can't create a ticket.</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ee52aa342fa93b341584e131bcb10c26b">
<strong>Publish</strong> your changes</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e35910544dce888d918b85cfa462df285">Test and monitor the workflow to understand the AI agent experience and pinpoint any pitfalls</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e8af33067efba459c9b237c5e87620933">Adjust your workflow based on any step that blocks a smooth experience for your customers</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ed3e0c2b4abb2cafd19389e188523246f">Plan to <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7874013120026-How-can-I-train-my-AI-agent-and-improve-suggestions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">train your AI agent</a> over time to improve its performance</li>
</ol>
</div><div class="p"><div class="note">Note: To identify which feature you use, see <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6970583409690-About-AI-agents" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">About AI agents</a>.</div></div>