What is an AI agent approval threshold?

An approval threshold is the value (or risk level) at which an AI agent must pause and get human confirmation before acting. Below the threshold the action auto-approves; above it, the agent has to route the action to a human for review. Tiered thresholds let you auto-approve trivial actions while still catching the consequential ones.

How does this calculator decide the numbers?

It starts from GeraWitness’s default tier structure — auto-approve small amounts, require 2FA in the low-mid range, require biometric or explicit approval higher up, and add a waiting period for the largest actions — then scales those tiers by the risk posture you pick (relaxed, balanced, or strict). The output is an illustrative starting point, not a regulatory limit.

Should I use the same thresholds for every agent?

Usually not. A research agent that only reads can have high thresholds; an agent with payment or booking authority needs lower ones. GeraWitness lets you set thresholds per category, per agent, and per service, so a £20 auto-approve for shopping can sit alongside a £0 auto-approve (always review) for money transfers.

Is this financial or compliance advice?

No. The calculator is an illustrative planning aid. For regulated use cases (finance, healthcare, hiring, credit), confirm your oversight obligations against the relevant rules — see our EU AI Act Article 14 guide and the per-industry use cases.

AI agent approval threshold calculator

Decide when your AI agents can act on their own and when they should stop for human approval. Pick a currency and a risk posture below to get a suggested set of tiered thresholds — auto-approve, 2FA, biometric, and waiting-period — that you can use as a starting policy.

Currency

Risk posture

Auto-approve (no review)

Under £20

Low-stakes actions execute immediately. Still logged to the audit trail.

Require 2FA confirmation

£20 – £100

A quick second-factor tap before the agent action proceeds.

Require biometric / explicit approval

£100 – £500

Face/fingerprint or an explicit in-app approve before execution.

Waiting period + approval

Over £1000

A cooling-off window (e.g. 12 hours) plus explicit approval for the highest-stakes actions.

Your suggested policy

Auto-approve under £20 · 2FA from £20 · Biometric from £100 · Waiting period over £1000

These are illustrative starting thresholds based on GeraWitness’s default tier structure, scaled by your chosen posture. They are not regulatory limits or financial advice — tune them to your own risk tolerance, then set the real per-category, per-agent thresholds inside GeraWitness when early access opens.

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Why tiered thresholds beat a single limit

A single “ask me about anything over X” rule is blunt: it either floods you with approvals or lets large actions through. Tiers let the friction scale with the stakes — trivial actions are instant, mid-value actions get a light check, and only the highest-stakes actions get the strongest controls. That is the core of effective human oversight: catch the consequential cases without drowning in noise.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AI agent approval threshold?: An approval threshold is the value (or risk level) at which an AI agent must pause and get human confirmation before acting. Below the threshold the action auto-approves; above it, the agent has to route the action to a human for review. Tiered thresholds let you auto-approve trivial actions while still catching the consequential ones.
How does this calculator decide the numbers?: It starts from GeraWitness’s default tier structure — auto-approve small amounts, require 2FA in the low-mid range, require biometric or explicit approval higher up, and add a waiting period for the largest actions — then scales those tiers by the risk posture you pick (relaxed, balanced, or strict). The output is an illustrative starting point, not a regulatory limit.
Should I use the same thresholds for every agent?: Usually not. A research agent that only reads can have high thresholds; an agent with payment or booking authority needs lower ones. GeraWitness lets you set thresholds per category, per agent, and per service, so a £20 auto-approve for shopping can sit alongside a £0 auto-approve (always review) for money transfers.
Is this financial or compliance advice?: No. The calculator is an illustrative planning aid. For regulated use cases (finance, healthcare, hiring, credit), confirm your oversight obligations against the relevant rules — see our EU AI Act Article 14 guide and the per-industry use cases.