How do I set up my AI agent to use help center content?

<h2 id="h_01HYBAYSYE6D5MS9R76RP14V1N">Question</h2><p>How do I use an AI agent to generate answers from my help center content? Are the recommended articles based on the organizations that the end users belong to? How can I make sure my articles will appear in AI? How can I create content for AI?</p><h2 id="h_01HYBAYSYEBM197897FQ8P2KW9">Answer</h2><p>AI agents respect the end user's access permissions in the help center every time. The AI agent bases AI-created replies and article recommendations on the <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408837707290-Creating-user-segments-for-Guide-user-permissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">user segment</a> of the viewer.</p><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; text-align: right;">
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</script><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01KJVT5B1TCRMFB0HHT4GD5WFF">Step 1: Create and enable your help center and articles</h3></div><div class="panel">
<p>Before you publish an AI agent, prepare your help center:</p>
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="e3cf42c2a5ab6a6de9823015b7e609561">Create your <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408846795674-Getting-started-with-your-help-center#topic_ndf_fpf_mk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">help center</a>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e6aedacd52d057078a9f9948cdc983b51">Create your <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408845897370-Organizing-knowledge-base-content-in-categories-and-sections#topic_hjs_tl4_kk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">categories</a>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e706f8628e3b0059abb047e60103cb24a">Create your <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408845897370-Organizing-knowledge-base-content-in-categories-and-sections#topic_ysj_wtt_zz" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sections</a>, within these categories</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ea7ce916c42c499a935b3195261c8cee3">Create <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408839258778-Creating-articles-in-the-knowledge-base#topic_fwm_vkx_cfc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">articles</a>, within each section</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e642c034a06e7aae79dad6f43a419f987">Ensure your article content follows <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408845739162" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">best practices</a>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e688a9a1e5bca0d11a7e00af849386d5a">Ensure the <strong>Visible to</strong> field of your article settings shows <strong>Everyone</strong>, if you want AI to be able to show that information to anyone</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e3981d4771d5eeeb9f1579bf9d36e61e7">Ensure your articles are <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408839258778-Creating-articles-in-the-knowledge-base#topic_ngr_25x_cfc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">published</a>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e158d6b75371b7f51a1cd55e640afdadf">Customize the <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408821842714-Editing-your-Help-Center-theme" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">theme</a> of your help center</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e56b63ba7ecf1690a1ecf18a99b0b2348">
<a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408846795674-Getting-started-with-your-help-center#topic_ckn_wc4_qy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Activate</a> your help center   </li>
</ol>
</div><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01KSQ7HB9FGBKRKT4NPHNS1394">Step 2: Restrict access to articles for AI with user segments</h3></div><div class="panel">
<p><strong>User segments added to your article settings restrict AI agent access to content</strong></p>
<h4 id="h_01KX60FJC4KNXXD75Z9E0WKGNF">To hide an article from AI agents</h4>
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="e72e4b25739cc9558926efec896a354e0">Create <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408837707290-Creating-user-segments-for-help-center-user-permissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">user segments</a> </li>
<li data-list-item-id="e30cfa784389608ed4b55283e6e6533db">In your <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408893875610-How-can-I-limit-access-to-articles-categories-or-sections" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">article settings</a>, apply that user segments under the <strong>Visible to</strong> field</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ec62cb2952d1f3366f2a8885088e2f6a8">You can <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408836336154-Updating-knowledge-base-articles-in-bulk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">bulk update articles</a>, too</li>
</ol>
<h4 id="h_01KX60FQAZZN4C5XC93AFZQN0H">If your user belongs to 1 user segment but you have multiple user segments</h4>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="ef7c22af02a6b6276a901a2d6d5e147dd">The user is in the <strong>Premium Customers</strong> user segment and is <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4411666638746-Understanding-and-setting-up-user-authentication-for-messaging" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">authenticated</a> in messaging</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e5c7d28545bb6d81800c9c902a190e2cc">The AI agent will surface only articles visible to <strong>Everyone</strong> and <strong>Premium Customers</strong>
</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e2deebc68076dbc4f356e60a595c79d07">AI responses won't include additional restricted articles, for example, <strong>Enterprise Features</strong>
</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="h_01KX60FW54W5B40CXWRQ49GAY9">If you use no user segments in your article settings</h4>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="ea23d0371d1d121e930d5cc43c16fa667">Non-authenticated and anonymous end users will be able to access the article from your AI agent</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e405af266b73abbfcede252131b18ec40">The AI agent will only surface visible to everyone, which means public articles without restrictions</li>
</ul>
<h4 id="h_01KX60J0E5JQMVT6P45E0RJHPG">The difference between signed-in, authenticated users compared to anonymous users in AI agents</h4>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e3db3d3484e2845125a185842567a06c5">For signed-in users, the AI uses their specifically assigned user segments in article settings to show content</li>
<li data-list-item-id="eb2340fc1887fcf11fbafe091998b0ecc">For anonymous users that are not signed in or authenticated in messaging, the AI assumes no user segment and returns only publicly available help center articles</li>
</ul>
</div><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01KX62FEX83V0SPHG52FG7BE5Z">Step 3: Set up AI agents</h3></div><div class="panel">
<h4 id="h_01KX63JCRNEDWDTNPGDDQPW8B8">To get started with AI agents</h4>
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="edba3c3dd2f8a20795f95256684db1a64">
<a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408827701530-Getting-started-with-messaging-for-your-website-help-center-and-mobile-apps" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Set up messaging</a>, where your AI bot will live</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ec6a8ad05d4df93247a472ade6d7f12e8">Use <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8724978128282-Getting-started-with-AI-agents"><span class="wysiwyg-underline">Getting started with AI agents</span></a>. As of May 2026, Zendesk offers a single, unified AI agent experience. Advanced agentic capabilities are now unlocked across all Zendesk Suite and Support plans: </li>
<li data-list-item-id="e8d323650da8224832bd5643550aed894">Use the <strong>guided, self-service setup flow</strong> to configure your AI agent for simpler use cases across email and messaging</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ebd61d4dd5dd22a88a957c2e061a07f4b">Create a <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357733365402-Best-practices-for-creating-use-cases-for-advanced-AI-agents" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">use case</a> or instruction that directs the AI agent to use help center content when it answers customer questions</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e439341e6cff1279f8662b59b250ea372">If needed, configure advanced capabilities, such as agentic logic, multi-step procedures, and external API integrations for more complex tasks</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ee07d309b647d5197e41e7f4e6b68caff">
<a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7232810932250" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Publish</a> the AI agent</li>
</ol>
<div class="p"><div class="note">
<span class="notetitle"><strong>Note for existing customers:</strong></span> If you still use <strong>AI agents - Essential</strong> or legacy functionality that includes bot builder, Zendesk will stop technical development for these tools by August 31, 2026. End-of-life and full service shut-off will occur on December 10, 2026. Complete your migration to the new experience by August 31 to avoid disruptions.</div></div>
<h4 id="h_01KSQ7NMYS75TM5CFXW514ZN83">Understand AI agent terminology</h4>
<h5 id="h_01KX634ETT0DQM87X37V3EA5D9">What is the difference between Instructions and Use cases?</h5>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="eeb4af6fda3cbbe0c99ae5341b72ccf1e">Instructions are general company policies that apply to everything</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e94f80fab898df08bf7322f98f56c673c">Use cases are department-specific procedures that apply only to specific situations</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="h_01KX602S783K45MXW7FZT8FZYH">Instructions refer to</h5>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="ecc72df2b05a22066b387bd69b290addb">System-level prompts that define the AI agent's overall behavior</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e251461a2ef765983f69a16b0eefae54b">Examples include "Be friendly and professional", "Offer to escalate to a human agent every time the customer is frustrated", and "Use simple language, and avoid jargon"</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e673cdabbade0e906e2ab69f38e7f8c4a">Sets the overall tone and personality</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ea2baadbfcb79eca5d011a166407090be">Applies to all conversations</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="h_01KX602WZXPA4BHK508093G613">Use cases refer to</h5>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e8a37788776fa358fc5e373390435a7e9">Specific scenarios that the AI agent handles</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ef35943757cb9cb399e694ebdf5ae9992">Examples include Password reset requests, billing questions, and product feature explanations</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ee16295dcc41df118d097fc715c964719">Each use case can have unique logic to address issues</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e8c4621bc45c0b2d278fa98cac12016ca">The AI routes to the appropriate use case based on specific questions from customers</li>
</ul>
</div><div class="panel">
<h5 id="h_01KX60361N2KXEX9B1XR9HTD6A">Deflection</h5>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e100155aa65bd8ad3773b46c08fffc8ac">The AI agent fully resolves a customer question without human agent involvement</li>
<li data-list-item-id="edf7e09a3920e082a0064424ec5963580">Successful deflection means a ticket is prevented</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e8fa7d2b8c97efb3938f781a20e0dfe4f">
<strong>Deflection rate</strong> is the metric for the percentage of conversations that the AI resolves</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="h_01KX603AEGBFFXN0J20AHXY8F2">Escalation</h5>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e1359a20206a05ef104e01d9f51d6ce74">The AI agent transfers the conversation to a human agent</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e005ca153b21d3df208509bd16074fbf3">This happens when the AI can't answer, the customer explicitly requests a human, or the system detects a complex issue</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e6f9d5b27cd340608c1fa720d6e109ad7">
<strong>Escalation rate</strong> is the metric for the percentage of transferred conversations</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="h_01KX603E9CH7CPK117ZEY6K7XD">Handoff</h5>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="eee7a9c4bbb3a8efa83c15379d3a7fcf4">The exact moment a conversation transfers from the AI to a human agent</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e2fbd5a4b3d4cd192d18960684c47ae60">This includes full conversation history so the human agent has immediate context</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e402f4ecc7645aaef5c31e72032bda9be">A customer request, an AI decision, or a session timeout can trigger this action</li>
</ul>
<h5 id="h_01KX603KBMWMFREAZ1X35YC0HS">Knowledge base</h5>
<ul>
<li data-list-item-id="e71706ccebee4bcbf1f59e956cdeae972">This is the collection of your help center articles</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ea17a38126325ed482bba964b4ab817e5">The AI agent searches this knowledge base to find and construct answers</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e0d0514ca870612d427ce62834f02ec20">A more complete knowledge base results in better AI performance</li>
</ul>
</div><div class="accordion"><h3 id="h_01KSQ7KBZWCGEMB9NZEBRZXHBJ">Step 4: Test user segment behavior</h3></div><div class="panel">
<p>To verify the AI agent respects user segments:</p>
<ol>
<li data-list-item-id="ed76edc3c1f79ba88abb9684590e45b9c">Create a test user account assigned to a specific user segment</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e4558b6a5c4de6fa06103ab6d4d1eb934">Sign in as that test user</li>
<li data-list-item-id="e5b958b6fb7e1cd155de5d21f94d1fae5">Ask the AI agent a question about restricted content</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ea4790082dd014fd2771d108072551907">Verify the following if AI suggests articles the user can see. The AI shouldn't suggest articles the user can't see</li>
<li data-list-item-id="ece8e37328322114d74b4080d5ba5cda5">
<p>A common issue occurs when the AI agent suggests a restricted article to the wrong user. This occurs because the article's user segment restriction isn't configured correctly. To fix this issue, review the <strong>Visible to</strong> settings for articles in Knowledge</p>
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<div class="ai-only" aria-hidden="true">
<details>
<summary>THIS SECTION IS AI CONTENT. DON'T EDIT OR DELETE.</summary>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYH6C04VK107EJG7907">
How do I set up my AI agent or chatbot to use help center
content or knowledge base help articles? How do I use
an AI agent or answer bot to generate answers from my
help center content? How can I make sure my articles
will appear in AI? How can I create content for AI?
</h2>
<p>
To configure your AI agent or chatbot to use help articles,
follow these steps:
</p>
<ol>
<li>Create your help center or knowledge base.</li>
<li>Create your categories.</li>
<li>Create your sections within these categories.</li>
<li>Create articles within each section.</li>
<li>Ensure your article content follows best practices.</li>
<li>
Ensure the <strong>Visible to</strong> field of your
article settings shows Everyone if you want AI to
show that information to any visitor or customer.
</li>
<li>Ensure your articles are published.</li>
<li>Customize the theme of your help center.</li>
<li>Activate your help center.</li>
<li>
Use the guided, self-service setup flow to configure
your AI agent across email and messaging.
</li>
<li>
Create a use case or instruction that directs the
AI agent to use help center content when it answers
customer questions.
</li>
<li>
Configure advanced capabilities like agentic logic,
multi-step procedures, and external API integrations
if needed.
</li>
<li>Publish the AI agent.</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYHXR0BSKXDM1M6MWTC">
Are the recommended articles based on the organizations
or companies that the end users belong to? Does the AI
agent use customer accounts to recommend help articles?
</h2>
<p>
No. The AI agent or chatbot bases AI-created replies
and article recommendations on the user segment of the
viewer. AI agents respect the end user's access permissions
in the help center or knowledge base every time.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYHCCWKFHR9S2BRF0RY">
How do I restrict access to articles for AI with user
segments? How do I hide an article from AI agents or
chatbots?
</h2>
<p>
To hide an article from AI agents, restrict access using
these steps:
</p>
<ol>
<li>Create user segments.</li>
<li>
Apply that user segment under the <strong>Visible to</strong>
field in your article settings.
</li>
</ol>
You can also bulk update articles to apply these restrictions.
<p> </p>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYH6TSK2W6D0B5QN9DR">
What is the difference between signed-in authenticated
users compared to anonymous users or visitors in AI agents?
How does the chatbot handle permissions for logged-in
clients versus anonymous visitors?
</h2>
<p>
For signed-in users, the AI uses their specifically assigned
user segments in article settings to show content. For
example, if an authenticated messaging user belongs to
the Premium Customers user segment, the AI agent surfaces
only articles visible to Everyone and Premium Customers.
For anonymous users or visitors who are not signed in
or authenticated in messaging, the AI assumes no user
segment and returns only publicly available help center
articles.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYHVV2AD73H4KFAT1KZ">
What plans support advanced agentic capabilities? Is
the unified AI agent experience available on my suite
version or pricing tier?
</h2>
<p>
Zendesk offers a single, unified AI agent experience.
Advanced agentic capabilities are unlocked across all
Zendesk Suite and Support plans or ticketing systems.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYHGR7832SYCMRYMHFK">
What is the difference between Instructions and Use cases?
What are instructions and use cases for chatbots?
</h2>
<p>
Instructions are general company policies that define
the AI agent's overall behavior, tone, and personality
across all conversations. Use cases are department-specific
procedures that apply to specific scenarios, such as
password reset requests, billing questions, or product
feature explanations. The AI routes to the appropriate
use case based on the customer's specific question, and
each use case can have unique logic.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYHGHPTKQH6Z86CB19H">
How do I test user segment behavior for my AI agent?
How do I verify the chatbot respects permissions and
access levels?
</h2>
<p>
To verify the AI agent or answer bot respects user segments,
follow these steps:
</p>
<ol>
<li>
Create a test user account or customer account assigned
to a specific user segment.
</li>
<li>Sign in as that test user.</li>
<li>Ask the AI agent a question about restricted content.</li>
<li>
Verify if the AI suggests articles the user can see.
The AI must not suggest articles the user cannot
see.
</li>
</ol>
<p> </p>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYHKFBZ14VWBA0AZRNR">
Why does the AI agent or chatbot suggest a restricted
article to the wrong user or customer? How do I fix the
chatbot showing restricted help articles to the wrong
audience?
</h2>
<p>
This issue occurs because the article's user segment
restriction is incorrect. To fix this issue, review the
<strong>Visible to</strong> settings for articles in
Knowledge.
</p>
<h2 id="h_01KX63FFYHM0C6W3GEG0FRJB6T">
When is the end-of-life and full service shut-off for
AI agents - Essential or legacy functionality? When will
Zendesk stop technical development for the legacy bot
builder?
</h2>
<p>
Zendesk stops technical development for AI agents - Essential
and legacy functionality including bot builder by August
31, 2026. The official end-of-life and full service shut-off
occurs on December 10, 2026. Complete your migration
to the new experience by August 31, 2026 to avoid disruptions.
</p>
</details>
</div>
</li>
</ol>
</div>