Agent handoff

Passing a task, with its context, from one AI agent to another or from an agent to a person.

Checked 9 Oct 2026 · 2 sources

Now
Agent handoff
Before AI
The SDR-to-AE handoff

What is an agent handoff?

An agent handoff is passing a task, with its context, from one AI agent to another or from an agent to a person. In OpenAI's Agents SDK, the receiving agent sees the conversation so far by default. The SDK's example is a triage agent that routes to billing or refund agents. OpenAI's agent guide also recommends a handoff to a person after repeated failures or before high-risk actions.

Why it matters to a revenue leader

Handoffs are where context gets lost, for agents as for sellers. When it is lost, the customer repeats the story and the next owner starts cold. The design questions match the SDR-to-AE handoff, namely what context travels with the work and who owns the outcome after the transfer. A handoff from an AI agent to your team is also a speed-to-lead moment.

Example

Fictitious numbers

A commercial cleaning company uses an AI agent to answer quote requests on its website. When a request involves multiple sites, the agent hands off to the regional sales manager. The company then starts attaching the facility details and full transcript to each handoff. Before the change, managers re-asked basic questions on about 1 in 3 handoffs. Afterward, their first follow-up moves straight to scope and pricing.

The question to ask

"When our AI hands work to a person, what context arrives with it, and who owns the next step?"

Sources

  1. Handoffs | OpenAI Agents SDK checked 9 Oct 2026
  2. A Practical Guide to Building AI Agents | OpenAI checked 9 Oct 2026

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