Using AI to generate replies in an AI agent for messaging (Legacy)

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">Generative replies allow your AI agent to deliver automated, AI-generated answers in response to customer requests. These replies:</p>
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<div class="note attention" id="generative_replies__note_u1y_b12_f2c">
<span class="attentiontitle"></span> <span class="ph">This article describes functionality that moved into legacy
status on February 2, 2025. On December 10, 2026, this functionality will no longer
be available. For more information, see <a href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10487730059034" target="_blank">this announcement</a>.</span>
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<p class="p">Generative replies allow your AI agent to deliver automated, AI-generated answers in
response to customer requests. These replies: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="generative_replies__ul_zts_sqz_ffc">
<li class="li">Use information from your own trusted help center content.</li>
<li class="li">Give end users the information they need without having to leave the
conversation to read an article.</li>
<li class="li">Don't require you to create or maintain custom <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4422584657434" target="_blank">answer flows</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Data shows that generative replies are typically three times more capable of
returning relevant responses to customer questions as opposed to answer flows.</p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="generative_replies__ul_lyf_dlp_zyb">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_uxm_2lp_zyb">About generative replies in legacy AI agents for messaging</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_hxr_2lp_zyb">Activating generative replies</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_qzx_2lp_zyb">Using generative replies with intents</a></li>
</ul>
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<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_uxm_2lp_zyb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">About generative replies in legacy AI agents for messaging</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">If you have an active help center, your AI agent can use generative replies to immediately
respond to questions from your end users. These responses use generative AI
to evaluate all the articles in your help center, then use that knowledge to
provide concise, contextually relevant answers within the ongoing
conversation. </p>
<p class="p">When a relevant help center article is identified, generative replies are
displayed as a single message. These messages are short (generally under 100
words) and reflect the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8753435048474" target="_blank">AI agent’s persona</a>. Any articles
used to generate the response appear as links underneath the message. </p>
<p class="p">Generative replies are always followed by a standard request for end-user
feedback (“Was this helpful - yes/no”). You can <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7510607688730#topic_m5t_41n_gbc" target="_blank">configure how the AI agent responds to
this feedback</a>.</p>
<p class="p">For generative replies, the language the AI agent uses depends on the language
of the user’s initial message: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_uxm_2lp_zyb__ul_jdk_h3f_3fc">
<li class="li">If the user’s language is <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408821324826-Zendesk-language-support-by-product#h_01GYJ1PBVKD26QN3E8JNS3X3TX:~:text=Languages%20supported%20by%20Zendesk%20AI%20agents" target="_blank">supported</a>, the AI agent
replies in that language. </li>
<li class="li">If the user’s language is not supported, the AI agent replies in the
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408887059866#topic_rtc_42j_1y" target="_blank">account’s default
language</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">For <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8774095741466" target="_blank">standard responses</a> and messages
sent as part of an <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4422584657434" target="_blank">answer flow</a> (legacy), the AI
agent uses the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408842754202#topic_rzn_3cj_bpb" target="_blank">language set on the Settings
tab</a>.</p>
<p class="p">If some or all of your help center is restricted, generative replies respect the view permissions
set on articles. For details, see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8087943201306" target="_blank">Using restricted help center content in
AI agents for messaging</a>.</p>
<p class="p">When the end user is authenticated in the Web Widget, the locale used to search
articles is based on the help center the user is authenticated in. When the
end user is not authenticated, the locale used to search articles is based
on the end user's language in their user profile.</p>
<p class="p">If your account doesn't have an assigned intent model and is using <a class="xref" href="#topic_hxr_2lp_zyb">generative replies</a>,
your AI agent will use replies from matched intents before turning to
generative replies for an answer. The AI agent will only use generative replies to
respond to customer questions in the following scenarios:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_uxm_2lp_zyb__ul_dhn_khz_1bc">
<li class="li">An intent matching that question is configured to generate a reply.</li>
<li class="li">An intent matching that question does not have an assigned answer.</li>
<li class="li">No intents are detected for that question.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">For details, see <a class="xref" href="#topic_qzx_2lp_zyb">Using generative replies with intents</a>.</p>
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<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_hxr_2lp_zyb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Activating generative replies</h2>
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<p class="p">When you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408824263578" target="_blank">create a new AI agent,</a> generative replies are
activated by default. If you have any existing AI agents that don’t use
generative replies yet, you can update the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7510607688730#topic_nvy_p3b_ccc" target="_blank">“If the AI agent finds relevant
information” standard response</a> so that the AI agent uses
generative replies.</p>
<div class="div">
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To activate generative replies in an existing AI agent</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_hxr_2lp_zyb__ol_xzc_5mp_zyb">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" id="topic_hxr_2lp_zyb__d9e1351" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/icon_ai.png">
<strong class="ph b">AI</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">AI agents &gt; AI agents</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the AI agent you want to activate generative replies
for.</li>
<li class="li">Select the <strong class="ph b">Messaging behavior</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">If the AI agent finds relevant information</strong>
section to expand it.</li>
<li class="li">Select <strong class="ph b">Generate a reply</strong>.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_hxr_2lp_zyb__image_bbr_bqx_hfc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/generative_replies_relevant_info_updated.png" width="450"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) Click <strong class="ph b">Test AI agent</strong>, then enter phrases the AI
agent can match to existing help center content to view samples
of replies your end users might receive.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Publish AI agent</strong> to apply your changes.</li>
</ol>
<p class="p">If your account doesn't have an assigned intent model, your AI agent now
uses generative replies to respond to customer questions. If your
account has an assigned intent model, proceed to the next section to
make sure generative replies are active for all intents.</p>
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</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested1" id="topic_qzx_2lp_zyb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title4">Using generative replies with intents</h2>
<div class="body">
<div class="note">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> Your account must have an assigned intent model to use generative replies
with intents. If you don't have an intent model, you can apply for
eligibility by <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408843597850-" target="_blank">contacting your Zendesk Sales representative</a>. </div>
<p class="p">When you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6138268212634-Using-AI-to-generate-replies-in-an-AI-agent-for-messaging-Legacy#topic_hxr_2lp_zyb" target="_blank">activate generative replies</a>,
replies are generated for questions that match intents without assigned
answers and for questions without a matching intent.</p>
<div class="p">This section covers the following topics:<ul class="ul" id="topic_qzx_2lp_zyb__ul_z4c_3v4_zbc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_xpr_3l2_ybc">Using generative replies for questions with specific intents</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_nzq_jl2_ybc">Using generative replies for questions without matching intents</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested2" id="topic_xpr_3l2_ybc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title5">Using generative replies for questions with specific intents</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">By default, any intent without an assigned answer will generate a reply.
For each intent, you can leave this setting as-is (recommended),
update it to not generate a reply, or add the intent to an answer in
your AI agent for messaging.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To use generative replies for questions with specific intents</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_xpr_3l2_ybc__ol_jwk_dnp_zyb">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" id="topic_xpr_3l2_ybc__d9e1351" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/icon_ai.png">
<strong class="ph b">AI</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">AI agents &gt; AI agents</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the AI agent you want to manage generative replies for.</li>
<li class="li">Select the <strong class="ph b">Intents</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">In the <strong class="ph b">Answer</strong> column, click the drop-down to select an
option for each intent you want to update: <ul class="ul" id="topic_xpr_3l2_ybc__ul_e33_qyd_wbc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Generate a reply</strong> (recommended) lets the AI
agent create an AI-generated response to a
customer’s matching free-text entry.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Don’t generate a reply</strong> prevents the AI agent
from responding to a customer’s matching free-text
entry. Instead, it replies with the standard
fallback response (“Sorry I couldn't answer your
question”).</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Show an answer</strong> lets you connect the intent to
an existing answer or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4422584657434" target="_blank">create a new
answer</a> for it.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_xpr_3l2_ybc__image_zjf_qnp_zyb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/generative_replies_intent_options.png" width="250">
</p>
</li>
<li class="li">
<p class="p">Click <strong class="ph b">Publish AI agent</strong> to apply your changes.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested2" id="topic_nzq_jl2_ybc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title6">Using generative replies for questions without matching intents</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can generate a reply for any question asked by an end user that does
not have a matching intent.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To use generative replies for questions without matching
intents</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_nzq_jl2_ybc__ol_rfn_c4p_zyb">
<li class="li"><span class="ph">In <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4581766374554#topic_hfg_dyz_1hb" target="_blank">Admin Center</a>, click <img class="image" id="topic_nzq_jl2_ybc__d9e1351" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/icon_ai.png">
<strong class="ph b">AI</strong> in the sidebar, then select <strong class="ph b">AI agents &gt; AI agents</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Click the AI agent you want to manage generative replies for.</li>
<li class="li">Select the <strong class="ph b">Intents</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">In the <strong class="ph b">Questions without matching intents</strong> drop-down, select
one of the following options:<ul class="ul" id="topic_nzq_jl2_ybc__ol_ff4_31g_3fc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Generate a reply</strong> (recommended) lets the AI
agent create an AI-generated response to a
customer’s matching free-text entry.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Don’t generate a reply</strong> prevents the AI agent
from responding to a customer’s matching free-text
entry. Instead, it replies with the standard
fallback response (“Sorry I couldn't answer your
question”). <p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_nzq_jl2_ybc__image_ujf_j4p_zyb" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/generative_replies_intent_tab.png" width="600"></p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Publish AI agent</strong> to apply your changes.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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