Questions an agent asks
An agent that is missing something it cannot look up asks you, instead of guessing. The run pauses, the question appears in the conversation, and answering resumes the work.
When you see one
Section titled “When you see one”Whenever the agent hits a fork only you can settle: which of three documents you meant, what tone a draft should take, whether to include last quarter. A well-scoped agent asks rarely — an agent that asks constantly is usually missing standing context that belongs in its system prompt or memory.
The three kinds
Section titled “The three kinds”A choice. Options rendered as buttons. Pick one — or several, when the question allows it. Some choices come in steps: answer the first and the next one appears, which is how an agent narrows something down without a wall of questions.
Free text. A single question with a text field, for something that cannot be reduced to options — a subject line, a name, a sentence of guidance.
Preferences. A set of tappable options gathered in one pass, used when the agent is calibrating how you want a piece of work done rather than asking a single factual question.
All three pause the run identically and are answered in the conversation.
While it waits
Section titled “While it waits”The run is holding its place, not restarting. Everything the agent had already worked out — searches it ran, files it read — is still there when you answer.
You can leave and come back: the question is still in the thread, and the inbox tells you an agent is waiting on you. Nothing expires while you think about it.
Fewer questions, better answers
Section titled “Fewer questions, better answers”An agent asks because something is undetermined. Remove the ambiguity and the question stops recurring:
| It keeps asking | Put the answer in |
|---|---|
| Which account, folder, or document you mean | The system prompt |
| How you like results formatted | The system prompt |
| A fact about you or your work | Memory |
| Background specific to one body of work | The project |
Limits
Section titled “Limits”- A question pauses the run until it is answered. There is no timeout and no default answer.
- A routine run has nobody to ask. Scheduled work should be specified precisely enough not to need a decision.
- Questions are answered in the conversation. The inbox tells you one is waiting; it does not answer it for you.