Installation, identity and privacy
How can AI support use private account data safely?
Connect AI support to private account data through a narrowly scoped, authorized lookup. Establish the customer’s identity, return only information needed for the question, and distinguish reading a record from changing it. The system holding the data must enforce access rules independently of the model.
Why use a lookup instead of a general article?
A knowledge article can explain the usual process but cannot establish a particular customer’s current status. A lookup can supply that fact from your application. Keep general rules in reviewed knowledge and account facts in the system that is authoritative for them.
How much data should a tool return?
Return a small structured result with clear field meanings. Avoid entire database records, secrets, or unrelated customers. If the request fails, represent failure clearly; an unavailable service must not be described to the customer as an empty account or a confirmed negative result.
How do you handle freshness and actions?
A cached result may stop being current while a conversation continues. Decide when to refresh facts before making time-sensitive claims. Reading an order status does not authorize cancellation, refunding, or any other change; those actions require a separate design and controls.
Practical checklist
- Require verified identity for private lookups.
- Authorize the subject in your own service.
- Return minimal structured facts and clear errors.
- Document freshness and keep read access separate from writes.
Worked example
A lookup returns “verification pending” and the assistant explains the next verification step. If the service times out, the reply should say it cannot confirm the current status, rather than treating a missing result as proof that verification has failed.
How Fire Away fits
Fire Away supports signed, read-only customer tools for verified visitors. Tool results can inform the assistant’s answer, while private fetched facts are not returned as part of ordinary visitor conversation payloads.