## Overview

A cadence step can be composed by you, by the **Maestro AI**, or by a mix of both. The highlight is
**AI assisted (human-in-the-loop)** mode: the AI drafts the step's message, but **nothing is sent
without a person approving it** — and that person can still edit the draft before sending.

This gives you the speed and personalization of AI without giving up control and your brand's tone.
And if the Maestro is unavailable, the cadence doesn't stall: it uses the step's static text as a fallback.

## Prerequisites

- The **Follow-ups** module enabled and a sequence with steps.
- The **Maestro** enabled on the account (without it, AI modes fall back to static text).
- A user responsible for reviewing and approving drafts (the notification recipient).
- For best quality, a step with a clear **instruction/intent** for the AI.

## Step by step

1. In the step editor, choose the **compose mode**: static, AI assisted or AI full.
2. For AI, describe the step's **intent** (what the message should achieve) and leave a **static
   fallback text**.
3. Publish the sequence. When an **AI assisted** step is due, the AI creates a draft and the step
   stays **pending**, awaiting approval.
4. The responsible user receives a **notification** of a pending draft.
5. Review the draft, **edit** it if you want, and **approve** to send — or discard it.

## Settings & options

### The three compose modes

| Mode | Behavior |
|------|----------|
| **Static** | You write the text (with variables). It's sent as is. |
| **AI assisted** | The AI generates a draft and the step **waits for human approval** before sending. The draft can be edited. |
| **AI full** | The AI composes and **sends automatically**, with no approval wait. |

### Human approval (HITL)

In AI assisted mode, the step creates a draft and pauses at that point. The reviewer can:

- **Approve** the draft as is;
- **Edit** the text and then approve (the send uses your version);
- **Discard** it so nothing is sent.

### Notifications

When a draft is waiting, the platform notifies the responsible users — usually the **enrollment
assignee** and the **conversation assignee**, falling back to administrators when no assignee is set.
There are also **reply received** and **enrollment failed** notifications.

### Safe degradation

If the Maestro is unavailable when the step runs, both AI assisted and AI full send the step's
**static fallback text**. The cadence never stops because of an AI outage.

### WhatsApp window respect

AI composition still respects WhatsApp's 24h window: outside it (WhatsApp Cloud), only an approved
template (HSM) can be sent. Keep a template configured on the step.

## Use cases

- **AI assisted** for sensitive messages (billing, negotiation), where a human checks the tone before sending.
- **AI full** for simple, low-risk touches, scaling without manual review.
- **Static with variables** when the text is standardized and doesn't need AI.

## Tips, limits & best practices

- Start with **AI assisted**: review a few drafts to calibrate the intent before moving to AI full.
- Always fill in the **static fallback text** — it's your safety net.
- Write specific intents (goal, tone, language) for better drafts.
- Make sure the responsible users receive notifications so drafts don't sit idle.

## Troubleshooting

- **The draft stayed pending and no one saw it**: check who the enrollment/conversation assignee is
  and the account's notifications.
- **The AI sent the static text**: the Maestro was likely unavailable — degradation is the expected behavior.
- **The AI generated nothing**: check that the Maestro is enabled and that the step has a defined intent.

## See also

- [Follow-ups and cadences overview](/hc/ajuda/articles/follow-ups-overview-en)
- [Sequences, steps, channels and composition](/hc/ajuda/articles/follow-ups-sequencias-passos-canais-composicao-en)
- [Enrollment: manual, automation, event, inactivity and AI](/hc/ajuda/articles/follow-ups-inscricao-en)
- [Cadence funnel and exit rules](/hc/ajuda/articles/follow-ups-funil-e-saida-en)