Customer authentication

Connect the account behind the conversation.

Let customers sign in when a service request needs account access. Bird connects Apple Messages authentication to your identity provider so AI and your team can use the right authorized context.

Explore Apple Messages for Business

Connect the right customer account

EXAMPLE

FIELDNOTES

Sign in to view your order securely.

Your identity provider

The customer grants the relevant account access.

Fictional sign-in and account. This example shows the identity and permission checks without accessing a real account.

Personal service with the right context

Know which account the conversation belongs to.

A customer asks about an order. Start with a general conversation, then offer sign-in when the answer needs private account information. After authentication, your service can retrieve the right order and help with the requested change.

Connect your identity provider to the conversation and keep account permissions in your application. The same authenticated context can support AI assistance, a native form or a specialist handling a more complex request.

Read the authentication guide
Can you check the delivery details on my latest order?
Customer account
IdentitySigned in
Requested accessOrder details
Next stepRetrieve the customer’s order
Account connectedAuthorized context available
Illustrative customer journey and business records.

Sign in at the point it becomes useful.

Authentication should have an obvious purpose for the customer. Ask for it when the requested service needs account access, then return to the question they were trying to answer.

Explain what sign-in enables

Tell the customer why account access is needed, such as checking an order or changing a reservation. Public product questions and opening hours can continue without introducing an account step.

Use your identity provider

Connect the supported authentication experience to your own sign-in flow. Keep credentials and identity checks with that provider, and associate the successful result with the intended conversation.

Apply the customer’s permissions

Use the authenticated identity to determine which records and actions are available. Read an order through the customer-facing application contract, and require the permissions needed for a change before carrying it out.

Continue the original request

Return the customer to the conversation with the relevant account context. If authentication expires or is canceled, explain the next step and preserve the service request so they can continue when ready.

Useful context for AI and people.

Give assistance scoped access

An AI assistant can use approved account tools after the identity and permissions have been established. Keep credentials outside the conversation and tool prompts, and return the information needed for the specific request.

Carry the request through a handoff

When a person takes over, include the service context and authentication state they are allowed to use. A handoff summary helps them continue, while your application still checks permission for account reads and changes.

Customer authentication questions

Is the Apple conversation ID our customer login?
No. It identifies the messaging relationship. Authenticate and resolve the account through your own supported identity flow.
Should customers type passwords into the conversation?
Use the protected authentication experience connected to the identity provider. Do not make a chat message the credential collection mechanism.
Does successful authentication authorize any account change?
No. The owning business system must enforce permission for the specific operation and resource.
Can an AI assistant use authenticated context?
Provide the minimum authorized context and use the normal operation permissions. The assistant’s prompt does not replace access enforcement.

Put it into practice.

Continue with the documentation, guides and examples for this topic. Resources are in English.

Get an implementation brief

Make account actions depend on the right identity.

Review your identity provider, session rules and authorized account operations before introducing authentication into the conversation.

Start with one channel.
Add the others when you're ready.

A test API key is yours immediately. Production unlocks when you add a payment method and verify a sender.

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