Auto-Pilot Mode in Conversation AI
Auto-Pilot Mode enables Conversation AI bots to manage customer conversations independently, now supporting up to 100 messages per thread—4x the previous limit.
This guide covers how Auto-Pilot works, when bots go to sleep, and how to optimize the new message limit for longer, more complex dialogues without manual intervention.
What is Auto-Pilot Mode?
Auto-Pilot Mode allows Conversation AI bots to operate independently without requiring human oversight for every interaction. When enabled, the bot handles incoming messages across all connected channels—SMS, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and more—until it reaches its configured message limit or encounters a condition that requires escalation.
This mode is ideal for high-volume use cases like lead qualification, appointment scheduling, FAQ handling, and basic troubleshooting where the bot can resolve most inquiries without intervention.
With the new 100-message limit, Auto-Pilot bots can now support 4x longer conversations than before, reducing the need for manual intervention and enabling more complex multi-step workflows.
The New 100-Message Limit
HighLevel recently increased the maximum number of messages a bot can send in a single conversation from 25 to 100 messages. This enhancement allows Auto-Pilot bots to handle significantly longer dialogues without requiring manual reactivation.
Previously, over 5,000 contacts hit the 25-message cap every day, causing conversations to stall mid-flow. The new 100-message ceiling eliminates this bottleneck for the vast majority of use cases.
What Counts Toward the Limit
Only bot-generated messages increment the counter. The following do not count:
How Auto-Pilot Handles Message Limits
When a bot operating in Auto-Pilot Mode reaches its configured message limit (anywhere from 1 to 100 messages), it automatically goes to sleep for that conversation. This prevents runaway loops and gives you control over when automation should pause.
Sleep Behavior
Once the bot reaches its limit:
The bot delivers its last allowed reply (message #25, #50, #100, or whatever limit you set).
The bot stops responding to new messages in that conversation thread until manually or programmatically reactivated.
The conversation stays in your inbox. Human agents can still reply, and workflows can still trigger—but the bot will not generate new messages.
The bot does not automatically send a "goodbye" message when hitting the limit. If you want contacts to know the bot is pausing, include that instruction in your bot's prompt or use a workflow fallback.
Enabling and Configuring Auto-Pilot
Auto-Pilot Mode is enabled by default for all Conversation AI bots. The key configuration is setting the appropriate message limit for your use case.
Go to Sub-Account → Conversation AI → Bots, then select the bot you want to configure.
In Bot Settings, locate Maximum messages a Bot can send in a Conversation. Enter a value between 1 and 100 (default is 100 for new bots).
Click Save. The new limit applies immediately to all new conversations; existing conversations retain their current counter but will use the new limit going forward.
When Bots Go to Sleep
A bot in Auto-Pilot Mode will go to sleep in two scenarios:
The bot has sent the maximum number of messages you configured (1–100) in the current conversation thread.
A human agent or workflow action explicitly put the bot to sleep using the "Update Conversation AI Bot and Status" action.
Monitor conversations that consistently hit the 100-message limit. If you see this pattern, consider raising the limit further or reviewing your bot's prompt to make responses more concise.
Waking a Sleeping Bot
When a bot goes to sleep after hitting its message limit, you have two options to reactivate it and reset the message counter to zero.
Manual Reactivation
Open the conversation in the Conversations inbox and mark it as Read. This immediately wakes the bot and resets the counter, allowing it to send up to 100 more messages (or whatever your configured limit is).
Workflow Reactivation
Use the Update Conversation AI Bot and Status workflow action to programmatically wake the bot. This is useful for automated scenarios like:
Create a workflow trigger on "Conversation Status = Bot Sleeping" to automatically route high-value conversations to a human agent instead of reactivating the bot.
Best Practices for Message Limits
Choosing the right message limit balances automation with quality. Here are recommended ranges based on conversation complexity:
Monitoring and Adjustment
Review conversation transcripts weekly. If most chats end well before the limit, consider lowering it to keep metrics tidy and reduce unnecessary AI usage costs. If many conversations hit the cap, raise it or refine your bot's prompt to be more concise.
Every AI-generated message counts toward your Conversation AI usage quota. Raising the limit from 25 to 100 can increase costs if conversations routinely use the full range. Monitor your billing dashboard after making changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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