harnyGlossary
Abstention
Abstention is an AI agent's choice to say it does not know, rather than guess, when its memory holds no support for an answer. It keeps answers tied to what was actually recorded.
What abstention is
An agent abstains when it declines to answer a question it cannot back with stored information. The agent says it does not know instead of filling the gap with a guess.
Why it matters
- A guessed answer can sound confident and still be wrong.
- A person who hears 'I do not know' can ask again or check another source.
- Clear gaps are easier to audit than invented facts.
How it works in Harny
- Each recall result carries
sources, with a sourceId, an occurredAt and a label, so your app can see what a result rests on. - When recall returns nothing for a question, your agent can say it does not know instead of guessing.
Does abstention mean the agent refuses to help?
No. It means the agent does not state an answer that memory cannot support. It can still say what it does know and ask the person for more detail.
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