AI dictionary

Tripwire

A guardrail signal that halts or blocks an agent run when input, output, or a tool action fails a policy check.

Plain English

It is the red wire that stops the workflow before the risky action continues.

Example

A guardrail detects a request for disallowed financial advice and triggers a tripwire before the final answer is sent.

Why it matters

Tripwires make safety logic explicit, observable, and testable in agent systems.