Classify by reversibility, not by excitement
Drafting a summary is reversible. Sending an external message, changing a financial record or modifying permissions is not. Approval gates are placed on the irreversible actions, which keeps the rest of the workflow fast.
Approval must be cheap for the reviewer
A gate only works if reviewing takes seconds: the proposed action, its inputs, its sources and its blast radius shown together. Anything heavier gets rubber-stamped, which is worse than no gate at all.
Auditability closes the loop
Every agent action — approved, rejected or automatic — is recorded with actor, inputs, tool calls and outcome. That record is what makes an AI workflow defensible to a client, an auditor or a regulator.