Approval reply parser
An approval reply parser is the runtime that interprets short user replies ('do 1, skip 2, edit 3') as authorizations against a queue of pending agent actions. Lets the user approve consequential actions in seconds without typing full sentences.
Why it matters
Approval gating is the contract that lets agents take consequential actions without doing anything the user did not authorize. It only works if approving is fast. If every approval requires the user to type a full sentence ("yes, please send the invoice to Mary for $480"), approval fatigue sets in and the user starts ignoring the queue.
The approval reply parser solves this. When the agent has queued items, the user sees them in their morning summary as a numbered list:
1. Send invoice to Mary for $480
2. Reply to Steve's email about the project timeline
3. Schedule the follow-up call with the salon owner
The user replies "do 1 and 3, skip 2." The parser interprets and fires.
Other accepted patterns:
- "all" → approve everything
- "none" → skip everything
- "edit 1 to $580" → modify before firing
- "what about 2" → expand item 2 with more detail before deciding
- "remind me later" → defer the queue
The patterns are designed to feel like a human-to-human exchange, not a form. The user can reply in seconds.
How Ajeris handles this
Ajeris's approval reply parser handles the standard patterns above plus most natural-language variants. The user can reply "yes do all of them" or "do everything except 2" and the agent interprets correctly. Each fired action writes to the audit trail.
For ambiguous replies ("looks good"), the agent asks for clarification rather than guessing. The asymmetric cost of executing the wrong thing is higher than the cost of confirming.
