> Source: https://builder-docs.ema.ai/agent-reference/core/abstain-from-answering
> Title: Abstain from Answering Agent

# Abstain from Answering Agent

The Abstain from Answering agent stops Ema from producing a response on a particular workflow branch and returns a short justification. Use it when the AI Employee should explicitly decline to answer -- for example, when a query is off-topic, when search results are insufficient, or when a policy prohibits responding.

## Use Cases

-   Route **sensitive or regulated topics** (legal, HR, compliance) away from AI-generated responses.
-   Defer to a human agent when **escalation criteria** are met.
-   Suppress replies for **out-of-scope, duplicate, or spam** tickets.
-   Hold responses during **incident management or maintenance windows**.

## Inputs

Input

Type

Required

Description

`abstain_reason`

String

No

Specify the reason for Ema to abstain (e.g., sensitive issues).

## Outputs

Output

Type

Description

`abstain_reason`

String

If `abstain_reason` is provided, returns `"Abstained because - {reason}"`. If omitted, returns `"Abstaining from responding"`.

## Configurations

None.

## How to Use This Agent

In a support workflow, route off-topic queries to Abstain from Answering instead of generating a response:

```
chat_trigger -> categorizer -> [off_topic branch] -> abstain_from_answering -> workflow_output
 -> [on_topic branch] -> search -> respond -> workflow_output
```

## Related Agents

-   [Response Validator](/legacy-docs/agent-reference/core/response-validator) -- validates responses against quality criteria; use upstream to decide whether to abstain.
-   [Categorizer](/legacy-docs/agent-reference/core/categorizer) -- classifies input so you can route to the abstain branch.