TOPIC 05 OF 06
When to let it act
The delegation judgmentMatch the leash to the stakes. If an action is easily reversible and low-cost to get wrong, let the agent do it and learn. If it's irreversible, expensive, or affects other people, gate it or keep it. This is the same 'match your checking to the risk' judgment you'd apply to a new human assistant — just made explicit.
Let it sort and label your inbox freely (reversible). Have it draft-but-not-send external replies (affects others). Never let it move money or agree to contracts without you (irreversible, high-stakes).
The temptation is to widen the leash because it's been reliable. Reliability on easy tasks isn't evidence it will handle the high-stakes one — those are exactly where a rare failure costs the most.
Draw a two-line rule for your own use: 'An agent may act alone when ___. It must ask me when ___.'