Using generative search to provide AI-powered answers to search queries


Generative search provides AI-generated answers to users' search queries in your help center based on your content. Users can view generated answers without clicking through search results or scanning related articles. However, users can still easily click into the articles for more information, because the generated answer is derived from the primary search results. Users can only view AI-generated answers for articles that they have permission to view.


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Verified AI summary ◀▼
Generative search uses AI to provide instant answers to user queries in your help center, drawing from your content and external sources. It's enabled by default and enhances user experience by displaying answers above search results. Improve answer quality by refining your knowledge base. Users can give feedback to help improve AI responses, and admins can manage settings as needed.




Generative search provides AI-generated answers to users' search queries in your help
center based on your content. Users can view generated answers without clicking through
search results or scanning related articles. However, users can still easily click into
the articles for more information, because the generated answer is derived from the
primary search results. Users can only view AI-generated answers for articles that they
have permission to view.
Generative search is available with all Zendesk Suite and Guide plans. All Zendesk Suite
and Guide plans include up to 100,000 eligible searches per month that produce
generative search results. If you exceed 100,000 searches, you can buy the Generative
Search Extender add-on to perform additional searches. See Managing your generative search usage.
Generative search is turned on by default. Knowledge admins can disable generative search, if
needed, by deactivating it in your search settings.


Note: Generative search is available by default in standard themes released after March 26, 2025. If your
help center was created before March 26, 2025 and uses a customized theme, you must

update your custom theme to add generative
search. Generative search is available for all templating API
versions.


Note: Based on your theme implementation and other factors, you may be
eligible to use the automatic theme updater for generative search. To learn more, see
Automatically updating your help center theme for
generative search.
This article includes the following sections:
About generative search for help center
Updating your help center theme
Using generative search for help center




About generative search for help center

Generative AI evaluates the question or phrase that users enter in the search box in
help center search and suggests an answer based on one or more content sources.
Generative AI can also suggest an answer based on external content if you have
configured federated search or Knowledge connectors. The generated answer is posted by
default at the top of the search results.

Generative search is activated by default in your help center. To deactivate this
feature, see Viewing and managing your search
settings.
The quality of a generated answer depends on the following:

Quality of your knowledge base: Because generative answers are based
on your help center and your external content, the quality of the answer
depends on the quality of your knowledge base.

Search input: Depending on the format and structure of the search
query, you may not see a generated answer for every search. For the best
results, avoid one- or two-word search queries, and instead, structure your
search query as a phrase, sentence, or question. Additionally, if there are
no articles, posts, or external content that match the search, an answer
can't be generated.





Updating your help center theme

To use generative search, your theme must include the {{generative_answers}} helper.
Newer accounts already include this helper, but accounts with themes that were
customized prior to March 25, 2025 must add it.
For detailed information about how to update your custom theme for generative search,
see Add generative search results to your custom
theme.
Note: Your help center theme can't be
customized to remove the text stating the suggestion was generated using
AI.




Using generative search for help center

When generative search is activated, users can enter questions or phrases in the help
center search field and receive AI-generated answers to their questions. Derived
from the top search results for their query, answers show users the information
they're looking for in the search results, without requiring them to open each link
and scan through the articles for an answer.
Generated search answers are posted in a box above the search results, alongside
buttons that let users provide feedback about how helpful the answer is. Providing
feedback helps train the AI to produce better answers in the future. You can also
improve the quality of your answers by enhancing the content in your knowledge base.
Generative search uses the content in your help center to produce answers, so as a
result, the answer is only as good as your content.
You can find information about supported languages for generative search
in the Zendesk language support article.

To use generative search for help center
Enter a question or phrase in the help center search field and press
Enter. The search page opens, displaying the search results
and, if available, an AI-generated answer.

If there is not enough information for AI to generate an
answer, you'll receive instructions to rephrase your search to sound
more like a question or phrase. For example, the search query "What
documents do we need to provide to create a joint account?" is more
likely to generate an answer than the search terms "joint
account."


(Optional) Submit your feedback about the quick answer. Zendesk retains
feedback for up to 90 days and uses it to assess and improve the quality
of answers produced by generated search.

Click the thumbs-up icon to indicate the answer was
helpful.
Click the thumbs-down icon to indicate the answer was
not helpful. Select the reason that best matches the reason for your
rating. Type any additional feedback you may have, then click
Submit feedback.








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