Creating use cases for AI agents to identify what customers are asking about

<body>
<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">Use casesare the mechanism by which AI agents understand what a customer is asking about and connect them with the rightgenerative procedureordialogue. Use cases are the topics that your customers need help with, such as order returns or refund requests.</p>
<div class="article-banners">
<div id="docs-wmp-link">
<a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5411234991258-plan" rel="noopener" target="_blank">What's my plan?</a>
</div>

<div class="article-banner" id="suite_all">
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<strong>All Suites</strong>
</td>
<td>Team, Growth, Professional, Enterprise, or Enterprise Plus</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

<div class="article-banner" id="support_all">
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<strong>Support</strong>
</td>
<td>Team, Professional, or Enterprise</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

</div>
<div id="docs-ai-summary">
<p id="docs-ai-summary-toggle">Summary: <span id="up-triangle">◀</span><span id="down-triangle">▼</span></p>
<p id="docs-ai-summary-content">Use cases help you identify what customers are asking about and connect them to the right generative procedure, dialogue, or reply. You can create use cases manually or from AI suggestions based on past conversations, then accept, edit, or reject them. Use categories, status, and segments to organize and target coverage for customer requests like order status, refunds, and returns.</p>
</div>

<div class="body">

<p class="p"><em class="ph i">Use cases</em> are the mechanism by which AI agents understand what a customer is
asking about and connect them with the right <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8979864563610" target="_blank">generative procedure</a> or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749494810" target="_blank">dialogue</a>. Use cases are the topics that your customers need
help with, such as order returns or refund requests.</p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="use_cases_creating__ul_egb_z2r_mdc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ik4_12r_mdc">Creating a use case manually</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_gr4_l5n_s2c">Creating use cases based on AI suggestions</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Related articles:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="use_cases_creating__ul_a3y_5b4_s2c">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041911005850" target="_blank">Managing use cases for AI agents</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357733365402" target="_blank">Best practices for creating use cases for AI
agents</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_ik4_12r_mdc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Creating a use case manually</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You create use cases on the Use cases page.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To create a use case manually</strong></p>
<div class="p">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_ik4_12r_mdc__ol_bvh_2fr_mdc">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In the AI agents workspace, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357756913178#topic_t25_qvj_tdc" target="_blank">select the AI agent</a> you want to work
with.</span></li>
<li class="li"><span class="ph">Click <img class="image" id="topic_ik4_12r_mdc__image_tkt_4xf_y3c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ai_agents_content_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Content</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Use cases</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Create use case</strong>.<p class="p">The Create use case panel
opens.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_ik4_12r_mdc__image_ws4_dkv_3hc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aia_use_case_create.png" width="400"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">In <strong class="ph b">Name</strong>, enter a short, descriptive name for the use case (for
example, "Order status").</li>
<li class="li">In <strong class="ph b">Reason for request</strong>, enter a short description that identifies why
a customer is reaching out. <p class="p">For example, "Customer is asking for the
status of their order."</p>
</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) In <strong class="ph b">Category</strong>, select an existing category, or start typing
to enter a new category and click <strong class="ph b">Add a category</strong>.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_ik4_12r_mdc__image_t14_bmv_3hc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aiaa_use_case_category_new.png"></p>
<p class="p">Categories make managing use cases
easier, but they don’t affect how an AI agent connects use cases with a
customer’s message (only use case names and descriptions do that).
</p>
</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) In <strong class="ph b">Segments</strong>, select an existing segment to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041911005850#topic_c33_3zx_zjc" target="_blank">restrict the use case to only certain
customers</a>, or click <strong class="ph b">Create segment</strong> to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9413046533530" target="_blank">create a new one</a>.</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) In <strong class="ph b">Status</strong>, select <strong class="ph b">Inactive</strong> if you don't want your
AI agent to begin detecting this use case yet.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Create</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p class="p">Your use case is created, but it won't begin guiding an AI agent's responses until
you perform the following steps:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_ik4_12r_mdc__ul_szh_rmv_3hc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">For an AI agent with agentic AI</strong>: <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041911005850#topic_elk_mcf_52c" target="_blank">Configure whether the use case should use a
procedure or a dialogue.</a>
</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">For a zero-training AI agent</strong>: <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9624068102682#topic_i1v_nzx_jgc" target="_blank">Create a reply associated with the use
case.</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_gr4_l5n_s2c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Creating use cases based on AI suggestions</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">As an alternative to creating use cases manually, you can create them based on AI
suggestions. Suggestions are generated based on historical conversations in your AI
agent to create use cases specifically tailored to the needs of your customers.</p>
<p class="p">This section contains the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_gr4_l5n_s2c__ul_k4w_h2w_3hc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_lpg_h2w_3hc">Generating use case suggestions for the first time</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_chc_j2w_3hc">Regenerating use case suggestions</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested2" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title4">Generating use case suggestions for the first time</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you haven't generated any use case suggestions before, follow the steps below
to get started.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To generate use case suggestions for the first time</strong></p>
<div class="p">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__ol_b2h_s5n_s2c">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In the AI agents workspace, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357756913178#topic_t25_qvj_tdc" target="_blank">select the AI agent</a> you want to work
with.</span></li>
<li class="li"><span class="ph">Click <img class="image" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__image_tkt_4xf_y3c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ai_agents_content_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Content</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Use cases</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Select the <strong class="ph b">Suggestions</strong> tab. </li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Generate suggestions</strong>.<p class="p">The Generate use case suggestions
dialog opens.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__image_u5k_cb4_s2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aiaa_use_case_suggestions_generate.png" width="450"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">In <strong class="ph b">Report preset</strong>, leave <strong class="ph b">Quick</strong> selected, or else select
<strong class="ph b">Custom</strong> to expand the advanced settings.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__image_ev3_g1w_3hc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aiaa_use_case_suggestions_generate_custom.png" width="450"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) In <strong class="ph b">Source</strong>, select one of the following options:<ul class="ul" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__ol_rmb_tzn_s2c">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">This AI agent</strong>: Historical data from the AI agent you
selected above. This data includes only messages that were
classified as Not understood.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Zendesk messaging</strong>: (Available only for messaging AI
agents.) Historical messaging conversations from your Zendesk
account.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Zendesk Support</strong>: (Available only for email AI agents.)
Historical email tickets from your Zendesk account. Messaging
tickets are not included. This data includes all public comments
on email tickets, but does not include private notes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) In <strong class="ph b">Conversations sample</strong>, select the number of messages
that the system should analyze (<strong class="ph b">500</strong>, <strong class="ph b">1000</strong>, or
<strong class="ph b">2000</strong>).</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) If you selected Zendesk messaging or Zendesk Support as your
source, configure the following additional options: <ul class="ul" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__ol_hkg_3r4_s2c">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Group</strong>: Enter the group from which conversations should be
selected for analysis. </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Tag</strong>: Enter the tag that conversations should have to be
selected for analysis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Generate suggestions</strong>. <p class="p">After a few minutes, a suggested
use case report appears.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__image_rcs_ycw_3hc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aiaa_use_case_suggestions_report.png" width="600"></p>
<p class="p">The banner at the top
summarizes the following details:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__ul_psw_q14_s2c">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Conversations</strong>: The number of analyzed conversations the
suggested use cases apply to.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Sample size</strong>: The number of conversations the report
analyzed.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Suggestions</strong>: The number of use case suggestions that were
generated.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Content coverage</strong>: The estimated percentage increase in
use case coverage for your customer conversations if you create
the suggested use cases.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Source</strong>: The source you selected when generated the
suggestions.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Time frame</strong>: The time frame the analyzed conversations
occurred in.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Last updated</strong>: The last time the use case suggestions were
generated.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">The following columns include the use case suggestions: </p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__ul_ovf_l2w_3hc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Freq.</strong> (Frequency): Shows the estimated percentage of
analyzed conversations that a suggested use case applies to.
The higher the frequency, the more important it is to create
a use case that covers this topic. </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Use case</strong>: Shows a name and description for a
suggested use case.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Conversations</strong>: Shows the number of conversations that
a suggested use case applies to.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) Click the icon in the <strong class="ph b">Conversations</strong> column to open the
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749580186" target="_blank">conversation logs</a> for the
relevant conversations.</li>
<li class="li">For each suggested use case, accept it as is, edit it before accepting
it, or reject it altogether: <ul class="ul" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__ol_sjv_mxn_s2c">
<li class="li">To accept a suggested use case, click the checkmark.<p class="p">The use
case is accepted and added to the Use cases tab. </p>
</li>
<li class="li">To edit a suggested use case before accepting it, click the use
case name to open it in a new dialog.<ol class="ol" id="topic_lpg_h2w_3hc__ul_l5v_byn_s2c" type="a">
<li class="li">Edit any of the details as needed.<p class="p">For help, see <a class="xref" href="#topic_ik4_12r_mdc">Creating a use case manually</a>.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Accept suggestion</strong>.<p class="p">The use case is
accepted and added to the Use cases tab. </p>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li class="li">To reject a suggested use case, click the <strong class="ph b">X</strong>.<p class="p">Rejected
use cases aren’t suggested again the next time you generate
use case suggestions.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p class="p">Next, you need to <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041911005850#topic_elk_mcf_52c" target="_blank">configure whether the use case should use a
generative procedure or a dialogue</a>.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested2" id="topic_chc_j2w_3hc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title5">Regenerating use case suggestions</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you've already generated some use case suggestions for an AI agent, you can
regenerate the suggestions to create use cases based on fresh data. Each time
you generate suggestions, new use case suggestions are added to already-existing
suggestions.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To regenerate use case suggestions</strong></p>
<div class="p">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_chc_j2w_3hc__ol_d5k_v2w_3hc">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In the AI agents workspace, <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357756913178#topic_t25_qvj_tdc" target="_blank">select the AI agent</a> you want to work
with.</span></li>
<li class="li"><span class="ph">Click <img class="image" id="topic_chc_j2w_3hc__image_tkt_4xf_y3c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/ai_agents_content_icon.png">
<strong class="ph b">Content</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">Use cases</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Select the <strong class="ph b">Suggestions</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) If you want to change the settings the system uses when
generating the suggestions, click the arrow next to <strong class="ph b">Generate
suggestions</strong> and select <strong class="ph b">Configure report</strong>.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_chc_j2w_3hc__image_lfv_sfw_3hc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aiaa_use_case_suggestions_configure.png"></p>
Update the settings as needed. For
help, see <a class="xref" href="#topic_lpg_h2w_3hc">Generating use case suggestions for the first time</a>.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Generate suggestions</strong>.<p class="p">After a few minutes, an updated
suggested use case report appears.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<script id="docs-schema-markup" type="application/ld+json">{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "TechArticle",
"@id": "https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041901679130",
"url": "https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041901679130",
"headline": "Creating use cases for AI agents to identify what customers are asking about",
"description": "You create AI agent use cases to identify customer topics and connect them to the right procedure or dialogue, either manually or from AI suggestions.",
"articleSection": "Creating use cases",
"datePublished": "2025-03-19T16:17:57+00:00",
"dateModified": "2026-09-02T12:33:51.952809+00:00",
"inLanguage": "en",
"mainEntityOfPage": {
"@type": "WebPage",
"@id": "https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9041901679130"
},
"author": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Zendesk",
"@id": "https://www.zendesk.com"
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Zendesk",
"@id": "https://www.zendesk.com"
},
"isPartOf": {
"@type": "WebSite",
"name": "Zendesk Help",
"@id": "https://support.zendesk.com/hc/"
},
"about": {
"@type": "SoftwareApplication",
"name": "Zendesk",
"@id": "https://www.zendesk.com",
"softwareAddOn": {
"@type": "SoftwareApplication",
"name": "AI agents",
"@id": "https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/sections/8988994355994"
}
}
}</script><script id="ai-summary-script">
//<![CDATA[
const ai_summary_style = document.createElement('style');
ai_summary_style.innerHTML = `#styled-article-body{padding:0 0 0}#article-body #docs-ai-summary{background-color:#f3f3f3;border:1px solid #d3d3d3;padding:10px 10px 6px;margin-bottom:16px}#article-body #docs-ai-summary #docs-ai-summary-toggle{font-size:.9em;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:4px;cursor:pointer;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center}#article-body #docs-ai-summary #docs-ai-summary-toggle #up-triangle{margin-left:auto;padding-right:10px;display:none}#article-body #docs-ai-summary #docs-ai-summary-toggle #down-triangle{margin-left:auto;padding-right:10px}#article-body #docs-ai-summary #docs-ai-summary-content{font-size:.9em;padding-left:25px;padding-right:25px;margin-bottom:12px}`;
document.head.appendChild(ai_summary_style);

const toggleAISummary = () => {
const summary = document.getElementById("docs-ai-summary-content");
const upTriangle = document.getElementById("up-triangle");
const downTriangle = document.getElementById("down-triangle");
if (summary.style.display === "none") {
summary.style.display = "block";
upTriangle.style.display = "none";
downTriangle.style.display = "inline";
} else {
summary.style.display = "none";
upTriangle.style.display = "inline";
downTriangle.style.display = "none";
}
};

document.getElementById("docs-ai-summary-toggle").addEventListener("click", toggleAISummary);
//]]>
</script>
</body>