Approval flows define the points in a workflow where a human must review and sign off before the process continues. The AI handles the surrounding work — gathering information, making a recommendation, routing the request — but the decision at specific checkpoints stays with a person.
A procurement agent that handles everything up to vendor selection and cost comparison, then routes any purchase above a threshold to a manager for approval before a PO is issued, is using approval flows appropriately. Not everything should be automated. Approval flows are where organizations deliberately keep humans in control of decisions that carry real accountability.
