# How to Use Restricted Topics in ZazzyAgent AI Agents An AI Agent can understand a very wide range of subjects. Your business usually doesn't want it discussing all of them. For example, a customer support Agent may need to answer: * Product questions * Pricing * Delivery * Support * Booking It doesn't necessarily need to discuss unrelated subjects. **Restricted Topics** help define subjects that your AI Agent should avoid. ## What are Restricted Topics? Restricted Topics are subjects that you don't want the AI Agent to engage with as a normal business conversation. For example: > Competitor-specific comparisons or: > Questions unrelated to the company's services. ## Why use Restricted Topics? They help keep the Agent within its intended role. For example: > A real estate Agent should discuss properties, viewings and company information. You may not want it giving unrelated advice about other subjects. ## Open AI Configuration Open the AI Configuration area in ZazzyAgent. Locate: **Restricted Topics** Add the topics that should be outside the Agent's intended scope. ## Write meaningful restrictions Good: > Competitor pricing and direct competitor comparisons. > Legal advice outside the company's services. > Unrelated financial advice. Poor: > Everything else. The more clearly you define the topic, the easier it is for the Agent to stay focused. ## Add a predefined response ZazzyAgent allows you to define the response used when the customer asks about a restricted subject. For example: > I can help with questions about our services, pricing and bookings, but I can't assist with that topic. Keep the message simple. ## Restricted Topics vs Knowledge These perform different jobs. **Knowledge** defines information the Agent can use. **Restricted Topics** define subjects the Agent should avoid. For example: **Knowledge** > Our refund policy is 30 days. **Restricted Topic** > Legal interpretation of a third-party dispute. ## Restricted Topics vs System Prompt Your System Prompt defines the Agent's overall behavior. Restricted Topics provide a specific mechanism for keeping certain subjects outside the Agent's normal scope. They can work together. For example: **System Prompt** > You are a customer support assistant. **Restricted Topics** > Political discussions, competitor disputes and unrelated advice. ## Example: Real Estate Agent The Agent can answer: > What properties do you have? > How much is this apartment? > Can I schedule a viewing? Restricted subjects might include: > Legal advice beyond approved company information. > Guarantees about future property values. ## Example: Clinic Assistant The Agent can answer: > What services do you offer? > What are your hours? > Can I book an appointment? The Agent shouldn't make unsupported medical diagnoses. The exact restrictions should reflect the clinic's approved use case. ## Example: Financial business The Agent may provide approved business information. But it should not automatically move into personalized financial advice simply because a customer asks for it. Use appropriate human escalation for situations that require qualified professional review. ## Use a helpful fallback A restriction doesn't have to end the conversation. For example: > I can help with information about our products, services and pricing. What would you like to know? This redirects the customer to an area the Agent can support. ## Restricted Topic vs Keyword A keyword is a specific word or phrase. A topic is a broader concept. For example: **Keyword** > Bitcoin **Topic** > Cryptocurrency investment advice Topics are useful when you want to cover a broader category of conversation. ## Don't create an enormous restriction list You don't need to list every possible sentence. Instead, define meaningful categories. For example: > Competitor comparisons and competitor pricing. This is easier to maintain than dozens of nearly identical phrases. ## Test variations Suppose you restrict: > Competitor pricing. Don't test only: > What is your competitor's price? Also test: > Is your competitor cheaper? > Compare your pricing with theirs. > How much would I save by using them? The restriction should address the actual topic, not only one exact sentence. ## Test normal business questions Make sure valid questions still work. Test: > What are your prices? > What services do you offer? > How do I book? A restriction that blocks legitimate customer questions is too broad. ## Human handoff for restricted subjects Some subjects may be better handled by a human rather than a generic restricted response. Your overall Agent instructions can define when an issue should be escalated. See [How to Hand Off Instagram AI Conversations to a Human in ZazzyAgent](https://blog.zazzyagent.com/instagram-ai-human-handoff-zazzyagent). ## Don't reveal internal rules Avoid telling customers: > That topic appears in our Restricted Topics configuration. Instead, simply redirect the conversation naturally. ## Example Customer: > Which of your competitors is best? A suitable response could be: > I can explain our own products, services and pricing. I can also help you understand which of our options fits your needs. The Agent stays within its intended business role. ## Common problems ### AI still discusses restricted subjects Review the topic definition and System Prompt. ### Normal questions are blocked Your restriction may be too broad. ### Response feels unhelpful Improve the predefined restricted response. ### Customer should have gone to a human Add a clear escalation rule for that type of request. ## Recommended structure ```text Business Scope ↓ What the AI should handle + Restricted Topics What the AI should avoid + Human Handoff What needs a person ``` These three layers give your AI Agent a much clearer operating boundary.