Create an outbound phone call using a Retell AI voice agent. WHEN TO USE: User asks you to make, place, or initiate a phone call. WORKFLOW (typical sequence): 1. list_agents → find the right agent, note its agent_id 2. get_agent → check config, get its retell_llm_id 3. update_retell_llm → set the...
AI agents invoke create_phone_call to trigger actions in Apple Shortcuts. What it does depends on the arguments the agent supplies, and its effects often reach beyond the immediate call — builds kicked off, notifications sent, workflows started.
This tool triggers an external real-world operation — placing an actual outbound phone call via a voice AI agent. It is not merely writing data but executing an action with real-world consequences (contacting real people, potentially automated voice interactions). Misuse could result in harassment, unauthorized calls, or social engineering attacks, making severity high.
From the tool's definition Create an outbound phone call using a Retell AI voice agent... make, place, or initiate a phone call
Risk signalsBulk/mass operation — affects multiple targets
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access create_phone_call gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Apple Shortcuts, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for create_phone_call:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"create_phone_call": {
"limits": [
{
"counter": "create_phone_call_rate",
"window": "minute",
"max": 10,
"scope": "grant"
}
]
}
}
}create_phone_call stays usable, but rate-capped — a runaway agent can't fire it dozens of times a minute. Everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
Free to start. No card required.
Create an outbound phone call using a Retell AI voice agent. WHEN TO USE: User asks you to make, place, or initiate a phone call. WORKFLOW (typical sequence): 1. list_agents → find the right agent, note its agent_id 2. get_agent → check config, get its retell_llm_id 3. update_retell_llm → set the conversation prompt/instructions 4. Wait 2-3 seconds (let config propagate) 5. create_phone_call → initiate the call 6. Poll get_call every 5-10s until status is. It is categorised as a Execute tool in the Apple Shortcuts MCP Server, which means it can trigger actions or run processes. Use rate limits and argument validation.
Register the Apple Shortcuts MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for create_phone_call: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Apple Shortcuts. Nothing to install.
create_phone_call is a Execute tool with high risk. Execute tools should be rate-limited and have argument validation enabled.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the create_phone_call rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for create_phone_call. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
create_phone_call is provided by the Apple Shortcuts MCP server (@mindstone/mcp-server-apple-shortcuts). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Start from Apple Shortcuts, add the rest of your stack, and see everything your agents can call. Then put policy on all of it.
Free to start. No card required.
423 Apple Shortcuts tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 43,000+ MCP servers.