How Do I Decide Which Decisions an AI Agent Should Make Autonomously?

• Fully Autonomous decisions are those where the agent has explicit logic, reliable data, and bounded consequences - the decision can be made and executed without human involvement. For example, classifying incoming invoices by type, applying standard GL coding for established vendor patterns, and scheduling routine payments within defined cash management policy. The agent decides; humans review aggregate patterns periodically rather than individual decisions.

• Human-on-the-Loop decisions are made autonomously by the agent, but humans monitor in real time and can intervene if patterns deviate from expectations. The agent acts; humans observe. This tier is appropriate for decisions with moderate consequence where post-hoc correction is feasible. For example, exception resolution within defined tolerance thresholds.

• Human-in-the-Loop decisions require human confirmation before the agent executes. The agent proposes; the human approves or revises. This tier suits decisions where consequence is high, reversibility is limited, or organizational policy requires human accountability. For example, credit decisions above defined thresholds, exception approvals that exceed tolerance limits, and any decision that crosses a regulatory line where human accountability is non-negotiable.

• Human-Initiated decisions are made by humans but with agent support. The agent provides analysis, recommendations, and pre-assembled context; the human decides. This tier preserves human ownership of strategic and judgment-intensive decisions while leveraging agent capability to make the human more effective.

• Human-Only decisions are reserved for the agent entirely. These are decisions involving novel ethical questions, fundamental policy choices, situations of high political or relational sensitivity, or any context where the organization has determined human accountability cannot be delegated. The agent does not participate in these decisions, even in an advisory role.