Chat with an agent

Chat lets you work with an agent by writing messages and reading replies, instead of filling in a run input each time. It is the best way to steer an agent step by step.

Start a conversation

1. Open the agent and choose the Chat tab.
2. Choose New conversation.
3. Type in the Message box and choose Send. Pressing Enter sends, and Shift and Enter adds a new line.

The agent replies in the thread. While it works you see what it is doing, such as which tool it is calling, and its answer appears when it is ready.

How the agent sees the conversation

Each message starts a normal run. The agent is given the recent messages in the conversation along with your new one, so follow-ups like "now make it shorter" make sense. Very long conversations are trimmed from the oldest end, so repeat important facts if a conversation has gone on for a long time.

Because every reply is a normal run, everything else still applies: the agent can only use its ticked tools, anything that sends or changes something waits for your approval, and the budget and limits are enforced. Open Runs to see each reply's trace and cost.

While it replies

• Next to a reply in progress you can use Pause, Resume or Cancel. See Pause, resume and retry a run.
• One reply runs at a time. If you send another message while the agent is replying, the page asks you to wait.
• If the agent needs approval, the reply waits until you decide in Approvals.
• If a reply fails or is cancelled, the thread shows a short neutral note. Open the run for details.

Manage conversations

Conversations are listed on the left of the Chat tab with a preview of the last message. Choose one to continue it. Delete conversation removes its messages and stops a reply in progress.

Good to know

• A paused agent cannot chat. The box says so. Choose Resume (then save) first.
• Messages can be up to 8000 characters.
• Do not paste secrets into a chat. Messages are inputs to AI features and are handled like any other input. See How agents stay safe and what is kept.
• For a job you can describe once and collect later, use a task.