AI agent glossary
Handoff
In a multi-agent system, passing control of a conversation or task from one agent to another that is better suited to continue it.
A handoff moves responsibility rather than just asking for help. When a triage agent hands a customer to a billing agent, the billing agent takes over the conversation; the triage agent is no longer in charge. This differs from a subagent call, where the original agent stays in control and receives a result back.
Some frameworks make handoffs a first-class feature. The OpenAI Agents SDK, for example, lets you list the agents a given agent can hand off to, and the model chooses when to transfer.
The hard part is deciding what context travels with the handoff. Pass too little and the next agent asks the user to repeat themselves; pass everything and you waste context and carry over confusion. A short structured summary of what is known and what is needed next is usually the best handover note.
A front-desk agent learns a customer wants a refund for a damaged item and hands off to a refunds agent, passing the order number, the problem, and the photos already collected.
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