Welcome to the PolyAI glossary.

This page explains some of the key terms, acronyms, and concepts used across our platform.

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A–C

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Agent

A PolyAI AI-driven voice assistant that interacts with customers in real-time via speech or text. Agents handle customer conversations autonomously while integrating with external data sources.

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Agent Studio

The primary interface for designing, configuring, and deploying AI agents. Agent Studio serves both builders (creating AI logic) and managers (monitoring performance and analytics).

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Conversational Review

Full article: Conversation review

A post-interaction analysis tool that allows teams to:

  • Review AI-generated transcripts for quality control.
  • Manually annotate issues in AI responses.
  • Improve AI accuracy by feeding corrections back into the system.

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D–F

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End Function

Full article: End function

A function that finalizes an interaction, used when an AI agent has completed its task. It can:

  • Close conversations and send confirmation messages.
  • Trigger logging or analytics tracking.
  • Perform clean-up actions before ending the session.

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Flows

Full article: Flows

Also known as Talk Tracks, flows use conversation logic system that determines how an AI agent guides a user through an interaction. Flows define:

  • Decision points (when the AI needs user input)
  • Branching logic (how responses change based on user choices)
  • Automated actions (like triggering a function call)

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Function

Full article: Function

A reusable backend operation that an AI agent can execute during a conversation. Functions allow agents to:

  • Retrieve external data (like fetching an order status).
  • Modify system state (like updating a customer’s profile).
  • Perform calculations or conditional logic.

A function call is when an agent invokes a function to retrieve information, or perform an action in real time.

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G–L

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Global Rules

Full article: Rules

Predefined behavior constraints applied across all agent interactions to ensure:

  • Consistency in responses
  • Compliance with business policies
  • Controlled conversational tone

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Handoff

Full article: Call handoff

The process of transferring a user from an AI agent to a human agent. Handoffs can be:

  • Rule-based (triggered by predefined conditions)
  • User-requested (when a customer asks for a human)
  • AI-driven (when the agent determines it cannot complete the task)

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Knowledge Base

Full article: Knowledge base

A structured repository of predefined responses and business-specific information that AI agents use to generate accurate answers.

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M–P

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Multi-Site Configuration

The ability to customize agent responses based on location, using variant management.

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Prompt Engineering

The process of designing inputs that optimize AI-generated responses.

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Q–Z

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RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)

Full article: RAG

A method where the AI first retrieves relevant knowledge from the KB before generating a response, ensuring more accurate, context-aware replies.

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Response Control

Full article: Response control

A system that modifies how AI agents respond in different scenarios. Includes:

  • Rate-limiting (preventing excessive responses)
  • Interruption handling (allowing users to cut off the AI mid-sentence)
  • Compliance filtering (ensuring safe and appropriate responses)

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Start Function

Full article: Start function

A function triggered at the beginning of an interaction, often used to:

  • Initialize conversation state (e.g., retrieve user history).
  • Perform authentication or setup tasks.
  • Trigger conditional logic based on user input.

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Talk Tracks

See flows.

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Transcript Correction

Full article: Speech recognition

A feature that enables users to edit AI-generated conversation transcripts, improving:

  • Speech recognition accuracy
  • Compliance with business policies
  • Training data quality

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Variant

Full article: Variant management

A tool for testing multiple conversational styles within an AI agent, allowing:

  • A/B testing across different dialogue configurations
  • Controlled rollouts of conversation updates
  • Customization per brand, region, or customer type

For any questions or to suggest additions, contact support@polyai.com.

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