Human in the Loop

Human-in-the-loop (HITL) patterns insert human checkpoints into agent workflows at critical decision points, requiring explicit approval before the agent takes high-stakes or irreversible actions. This is the primary safety mechanism for production agent systems, because even capable models make mistakes, and HITL ensures those mistakes are caught before they reach databases, customer-facing systems, or financial transactions. The most effective patterns use risk-based escalation, where routine actions proceed automatically while destructive, expensive, or irreversible actions require human approval.