AI Reply Agent

title: AI Reply Agent
description: Automatically tag and reply to inbound email replies with AI.

Overview

The AI Reply Agent handles the replies that come back from your SalesBlink sequences. It can:

1. Auto-Tag Incoming Replies — read each reply, classify the intent, and tag the lead in your Inbox (for example, Interested, Not Interested, Meeting Requested, Automatic Response, Out of Office).
2. AutoReply to Leads — draft and send an AI-generated reply for the reply types you choose.

You stay in control: run the agent in Autopilot (replies send automatically) or Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) (replies are drafted for you to review and approve in the Outbox).

What the AI Reply Agent Does

When a lead replies to an email in one of your sequences:

• The agent reads the reply and tags the lead with the detected intent.
• If the intent matches one you selected in the AI Reply Agent settings, and the sequence has AutoReply enabled, the agent generates a context-aware reply.
• The reply is threaded with the full conversation so it sounds natural and relevant.
• In Autopilot mode, the reply is sent automatically after a short delay.
• In HITL mode, the reply waits in the Outbox for your approval before sending.
• If Handle follow-ups is enabled, the agent schedules one AI follow-up 24 hours later. That pending follow-up is cancelled if the lead replies again before it sends.

What It Is Good For

• Responding instantly to Interested or Meeting Requested replies, even outside business hours.
• Keeping conversations warm with fast, thread-aware replies.
• Handling a high volume of replies without letting leads fall through the cracks.
• Automatically organizing your Inbox with reply tags so your team can prioritize high-intent leads.
• Maintaining a consistent tone across every reply.

Prerequisites

Before you can use the AI Reply Agent, make sure:

• Your SalesBlink plan includes AI Replies. If it does not, the UI shows Upgrade to Access and redirects you to Billing.
• You have available AI credits (or you have added your own OpenRouter API key in AI Settings).
• You have at least one sequence with reply tracking enabled.

How to Configure the AI Reply Agent

Configuration happens in two places: your account settings and the sequence settings.

Step 1 — Enable the AI Reply Agent Account-Wide

1. Log in to SalesBlink.
2. Click Account in the top navbar.
3. Select AI Settings from the dropdown.
4. In the AI Agents table, find the row labeled AI Reply Agent.
5. Toggle the switch on. The AI Reply Agent Settings modal opens automatically.
6. Configure the modal:

• AI Agent Mode
• • HITL (Human-In-The-Loop) — drafts replies for you to review and approve in the Outbox.
  • Autopilot (Fully Autonomous) — sends replies automatically without manual review.
• Agent Style
• • Agent’s tone of voice — Friendly, Neutral, Matter-of-fact, Professional, or Humorous.
  • Agent’s response length — Concise (under 20 words), Standard (under 50 words), or Thorough (70–100 words).
  • Agent should handle follow-ups? — Yes or No.
• Reply Outcomes — select which reply intents should trigger an AI reply:
• • Interested
  • Not Interested
  • Automatic Response
  • Meeting Requested
  • Default selection: Interested, Not Interested, Meeting Requested.
• Agent Prompt — enter instructions that define how the AI should handle each reply type (maximum 1000 characters).

7. Click Save.

Tip: On the same page you can add your own OpenRouter API Key so AI features use your key instead of SalesBlink AI credits. If you do this, make sure your OpenRouter account has at least $5 in prepaid credits.

Model selection: You can also choose a preferred AI Model. If the chosen model fails three times, it resets to None and the system falls back to a default model.

Step 2 — Enable It on a Sequence

1. Go to Outreach → Sequences and open the sequence you want to use.
2. Click Save & Launch or Save & Schedule to open the Sequence Settings dialog.
3. Select the AI & More tab.
4. Under Tracking, enable Track Email Replies.
5. Enable Auto-Tag Incoming Replies. This is only available after reply tracking is turned on.
6. Enable AutoReply to Leads with AI Reply Agent. This is only available after Auto-Tag is turned on.

• If you see the message Configure AI Reply Agent to use this feature, click the link and finish the global setup in Step 1 first.

7. Save or schedule the sequence.

Note: If AutoReply is enabled but the account-level AI Reply Agent has no outcomes configured, saving is blocked with the message: "Please configure AI Reply settings first."

How Replies Are Processed

You can switch modes at any time from Account → AI Settings → AI Reply Agent.

When to Use the AI Reply Agent

Use the AI Reply Agent when:

• You receive enough replies that manual replies slow you down.
• You want immediate, consistent responses to Interested and Meeting Requested replies.
• You want replies automatically tagged so your team can focus on high-intent leads.
• You are comfortable with AI-generated replies, or you want to review them first with HITL mode.
• You want 24/7 reply coverage without keeping someone online.

When Not to Use the AI Reply Agent

Avoid relying on the AI Reply Agent when:

• Your plan does not include AI Replies (the feature will be blocked or show Upgrade to Access).
• You have not enabled Track Email Replies and Auto-Tag Incoming Replies on the sequence.
• You have no AI credits left and no personal OpenRouter key configured.
• Every reply needs a highly specific human touch that the prompt cannot capture.
• You are not able to review the Outbox regularly and do not want to risk Autopilot sending incorrect replies.
• The conversation context is missing or the original thread cannot be read by the agent.

AI Credit Costs

Each action consumes AI credits from your account:

You can check your remaining credits at Account → Billing → AI Credits. If you add your own OpenRouter API key in AI Settings, SalesBlink does not deduct plan or add-on credits for AI Reply Agent actions.

Limitations to Keep in Mind

• The agent only replies to the reply outcomes you explicitly select in AI Reply Agent Settings.
• Auto-Tag requires Track Email Replies; AutoReply requires both Track Email Replies and Auto-Tag Incoming Replies.
• Bounces and non-reply messages are ignored by the reply detector.
• If the sender, contact, or original thread data is missing, no reply task is created.
• AI output quality depends on the selected model; there is no guaranteed multi-language output.
• In HITL mode, replies do not send until you manually approve them.

Quick Checklist

Before the AI Reply Agent can run:

1. Your plan includes AI Replies.
2. The global AI Reply Agent toggle is on and at least one reply outcome is selected.
3. You have written an Agent Prompt that matches your use case.
4. The sequence has Track Email Replies, Auto-Tag Incoming Replies, and AutoReply to Leads with AI Reply Agent enabled.
5. You have AI credits available, or a personal OpenRouter key saved in AI Settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I review AI replies before they send?
In HITL mode, open Outreach → Outbox and approve or edit the pending AI reply tasks.

Can I stop the AI Reply Agent after enabling it?
Yes. Return to Account → AI Settings, find the AI Reply Agent row, and toggle it off. You can also disable AutoReply on individual sequences.

Will the agent reply to Out-of-Office emails?
Out-of-Office replies are tagged, but you can choose whether the agent sends an actual reply by selecting or deselecting Automatic Response in the Reply Outcomes list.

Does it work with my own AI model?
You can choose a preferred OpenRouter model in AI Settings. If that model fails, SalesBlink falls back to a default model.

Updated on: 03/07/2026