Guardrails
Porto has a conversation with every visitor by default. Guardrails narrow what the chat takes on, and each one is a switch you control in your intake settings.
How a guardrail works
1
We suggest
During setup we go through each guardrail with you and recommend what fits your business.
2
You switch it on
Every guardrail is a toggle in your intake settings. They all start off.
3
You publish
The next conversation follows the new setting. Conversations already running keep theirs.
4
It’s on record
Every change is logged with who made it and when.
Always on
These protect your visitors and your business on every intake. They aren’t settings.
Every visitor is heard
Buyers, job seekers, vendors and partners all get a real conversation. Buyers reach you as leads and everyone else as inquiries.
Your instructions stay yours
Visitors can’t change how the assistant behaves. Attempts to rewrite its instructions are caught before they reach the model.
No exact prices
It answers from the price ranges you publish and never quotes a number you haven’t set.
Personal details stay out of the model
Names, emails and phone numbers are removed before any message reaches the AI model.
Topics you block
The assistant won’t discuss anything on your blocked list. It says so in a sentence and keeps the conversation going.
Care when it matters
If a visitor says they may hurt themselves, the chat stops asking questions and shares a crisis line.
AI disclosure
Every conversation starts by saying the visitor is talking to an AI assistant.
Visitors can leave any time
When a visitor wants to stop, the chat stops. No extra questions.
Guardrails you can switch on
Each one starts off. Turn it on in your intake settings whenever you want, and off the same way.
Stay on topic
Requests for unrelated help, like writing code or homework, get one short redirect. A second request closes the chat politely.
Off
Pause repeat misuse
Someone whose chat was closed for off topic requests can’t start a new one for 30 days.
Off
Your closing for other visitors
Visitors who aren’t looking to buy get a closing you write, such as a link to your careers page. What they said still reaches you.
Off
Candidates to hiring
Job seekers are asked for the role and their portfolio, then go straight to your hiring inbox.
Coming soon
Partners and vendors
Partnership and vendor messages go to the person you choose, with what they offer.
Coming soon
Support requests
Existing customers looking for help are sent to your support channel.
Coming soon
Not sure which to switch on?
We go through every guardrail with you during setup and suggest what fits. Conversations count toward your plan whether or not a guardrail is on.
Book a demo