# Autonomous agents for proactive chat

Select Autopilot agents for proactive visitor engagement, including when their operator identities are not signed in.

*Release 3.3 · admin, visitor*

**Settings › Events › Visitor Events** · **Settings › AI › Features**

## What it is

**Autonomous agents** lets a proactive visitor event choose an Autopilot to engage the visitor. The operator identity used by that Autopilot does not need to be signed in. You can use agents as a fallback after human selection or restrict the event to agents only.

## Who uses it and why

Administrators choose which agents can start an engagement and which visitors they target. Visitors receive the proactive greeting and can continue with the selected Autopilot.

## Where to find it

Open **Settings › Events › Visitor Events** and edit a proactive chat event. Use **Autonomous agents** and **Autonomous agents only**. The **Settings** and **Manager** roles provide visitor-event access, subject to editing restrictions.

Configure the agents under **Settings › AI › Features** with the **Settings** role and **AI** permission, or the **Developer** role.

## How it works

With **Autonomous agents only** off, the event first tries normal human operator selection. If it finds no suitable human, it tries the selected autonomous agents. With the option on, it skips human selection.

An agent must be an active, enabled **Autopilot** whose visitor filters match. Its linked bot must be enabled and match the current feature and **Impersonate** selection. AI and bots must both be enabled for the website.

Among eligible candidates, higher **Priority** wins. Equal priorities use a consistent order based on the saved feature identities, rather than the order in which you selected them.

A delayed engagement rechecks eligibility before delivery. It keeps its earlier preferred agent if that agent remains eligible, using the current version. If that agent is no longer eligible, it tries the other selected candidates.

## Configure it

1. Configure and enable the required **Autopilot** features, including **Impersonate**, instructions and visitor filters.
2. Open the proactive visitor event and select one or more **Autonomous agents**.
3. Turn on **Autonomous agents only** if this event should skip human selection.
4. Review the event's visitor conditions and proactive timing, then save.

Use distinct feature priorities when one agent should clearly take precedence. Ask Powerfront to enable AI or bots if either is unavailable.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autonomous agents | Settings › Events › Visitor Events | website | Not set: no autonomous agents selected | Settings role, Manager role | Selects the Autopilot features available for the proactive engagement. |
| Autonomous agents only | Settings › Events › Visitor Events | website | Off | Settings role, Manager role | Skips human operator selection and uses only a selected eligible autonomous agent. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Manage visitor events and, with the AI permission, their Autopilot features. |
| Manager | Manage visitor events, subject to configured editing restrictions. |
| AI | Allows AI feature configuration under Settings Permissions. |
| Developer | Configure the Autopilot features selected by an event. |

## Limits and good to know

- **Autonomous agents only** requires at least one selected agent.
- An agent does not need a signed-in identity, but it still needs a valid operator identity and linked bot.
- If no human or selected agent is eligible, the event does not send that proactive engagement.
- Proactive event conditions, timing and control groups still apply.
- A pending engagement may use a newer saved version of its selected feature.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [Autopilot for live chat](AI-003.md): Selected agents must be enabled Autopilot features with working linked bots and operator identities.
- **Requires** [Proactive chat invitations](ENG-004.md): Autonomous selection is part of proactive chat invitations.
- **Requires** [Custom bots and FAQ bots](ENG-020.md): The linked bot must be enabled and match the current Autopilot configuration.
- **Configured in** [AI feature settings and change history](AI-001.md): Feature enablement, visitor filters and priority affect agent selection.
- **Configured in** [Visitor event rules and actions](ENG-001.md): Visitor events define when proactive engagement is attempted.
- **Configured in** [Visitor event targeting conditions](ENG-002.md): Event and AI feature conditions both restrict eligible visitors.
- **Configured in** [Proactive chat control group settings](ENG-005.md): Proactive control-group checks can prevent the engagement.
- **Needs licence or module** Admin settings and feature switches (managed by Powerfront): Both AI and bots must be enabled for the website.

### Used by

- **Enhances** [Proactive chat invitations](ENG-004.md): Selected autonomous agents can handle proactive invitations.
- **Enhances** [Autopilot for live chat](AI-003.md): Proactive visitor events can select Autopilot to start an engagement.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Must I sign in as the Autopilot operator?

No. Autonomous selection can use the configured operator identity without it signing in.

### Why did a human send the invitation?

With **Autonomous agents only** off, normal human selection takes precedence. Turn it on for an agent-only event.

### Why did no invitation appear?

Check event conditions and timing, control groups, agent filters, feature and bot enablement, and the **Impersonate** selection.

### Why did a different agent handle a delayed invitation?

The previously selected agent may no longer be eligible. INSIDE rechecks the pending engagement and can choose another selected agent.