Email infrastructure guide

Email API for AI Agents

Give agents a constrained, observable way to send and receive product email without exposing mailbox credentials.

Agents should use a purpose-built email API rather than a personal inbox credential. The API can scope authority by workspace, log decisions, and enforce domain and recipient controls.

What this means in practice

  • Scoped API keys rather than personal mailbox passwords
  • Structured send and inbox operations
  • Workspace boundaries and audit trails
  • Human-review paths for high-risk actions

Implementation checklist

  1. Create a dedicated workspace and sender domain for the agent.
  2. Issue a narrowly scoped API key through server-side configuration.
  3. Require structured fields for recipient, subject, and content.
  4. Log message IDs, agent context, and delivery outcomes.
  5. Add approval or allow-list controls for sensitive destinations.

Questions teams ask

Can an AI agent send email safely?

Yes, when it uses scoped credentials, verified domains, structured tools, recipient controls, and auditable logs.

Why not give an agent Gmail credentials?

Mailbox credentials are broad, difficult to audit, and often expose unrelated messages and account settings.

Continue learning

Email API: Send, Receive, and Track Transactional EmailUnderstand what an email API does, how sending and inbound receiving work, and what to evaluate before choosing one.Transactional Email API GuideA practical guide to sending passwords, receipts, alerts, and other product-triggered email reliably.How to Send Email with an APIA step-by-step approach to authenticated API email sending, testing, and production safety.How to Receive Email with an APIRoute inbound mail to your application, parse it safely, and make it useful in a product workflow.Email Domain Verification: SPF, DKIM, and DMARCWhat domain verification is, why it matters, and how SPF, DKIM, and DMARC work together.