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

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">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.</p>
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<p id="docs-ai-summary-content">Generative search uses AI to provide direct answers to help center queries based on your content, reducing the need to browse multiple articles. It supports follow-up questions via the Web Widget and requires a quality knowledge base for best results. You can enable or disable it in search settings, update your theme to include generative answers, and improve AI responses by gathering user feedback.</p>
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<p class="p">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.</p>
<p class="p" dir="ltr">If you've installed or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500748175258" target="_blank">embedded the Web Widget</a> and <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8008427696410" target="_blank">turned on multi-conversations</a>, users can enter a follow-up
question about the generative search results to continue the conversation in Web
Widget.</p>
<p class="p" dir="ltr">Generative search is available with all Zendesk Suite and Knowledge plans. All
Zendesk Suite and Knowledge 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 <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9234074974874" target="_blank">Managing your generative search usage</a>.</p>
<p class="p">Generative search is turned on by default. Knowledge admins can disable generative search, if
needed, by deactivating it in your <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5589418656922" target="_blank">search settings</a>.</p>
<div class="p">
<div class="note" id="topic_uqr_clr_w1c__note_tbd_x4c_42c">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> Generative search is available by default in <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408845834522" target="_blank">standard themes</a> released after March 26, 2025. If your
help center was created before March 26, 2025 and uses a customized theme, you must

<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832681626#topic_tjl_xqc_42c" target="_blank">update your custom theme to add generative
search</a>. Generative search is available for all templating API
versions.</div>
</div>
<div class="note" id="topic_uqr_clr_w1c__note_yvt_r5p_chc">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> 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
<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9809445946778" target="_blank">Automatically updating your help center theme for
generative search</a>.</div>
<div class="p">This article includes the following sections:<ul class="ul" id="topic_uqr_clr_w1c__ul_e3l_bmr_w1c">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_lgj_cmr_w1c">About generative search for help center</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_axj_kyb_jgc">Updating your help center theme</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_acg_knr_w1c">Using generative search for help center</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_lgj_cmr_w1c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">About generative search for help center</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p" dir="ltr">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 <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408830243482" target="_blank"><u class="ph u">federated search</u></a> or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9796599390874" target="_blank">Knowledge connectors</a>. The generated answer is posted by
default at the top of the search results. </p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_lgj_cmr_w1c__image_w4y_fbz_r2c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/guide-gensearch-search-results.png" width="600"></p>
<p class="p">If you've installed or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500748175258" target="_blank">embedded the Web Widget</a> and <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8008427696410" target="_blank">turned on multi-conversations</a>, users can enter a
follow-up question about the generative search results to continue the conversation
in Web Widget. While the follow-up flow is functional even with a default messaging
response, serving mainly as an entry point to Messaging, its full capabilities are
unlocked when used in conjunction with AI Agents. When paired with an essential or
advanced AI agent, users can engage with AI through your help center and receive
automated, in-depth assistance. If the customer's questions are resolved during the
AI agent conversation, this consumes an <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5352026794010" target="_blank">automated resolution</a>.</p>
<div class="p">
<div class="note" id="topic_lgj_cmr_w1c__note_ist_5br_1jc">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> If your account reaches the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408831783962" target="_blank">monthly generative search limit</a> and
you do not have extended searches, this field will not appear for end
users.</div>
</div>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_lgj_cmr_w1c__image_hh4_3hz_v3c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/Conv-help-center.png" width="600"></p>
<p class="p">Generative search is activated by default in your help center. To deactivate this
feature, see<a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5589418656922" target="_blank"> Viewing and managing your search
settings</a>.</p>
<div class="p">The quality of a generated answer depends on the following:<ul class="ul" id="topic_lgj_cmr_w1c__ul_ntj_5xb_y1c">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Quality of your knowledge base</strong>: 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.</li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">Search input</strong>: 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.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_axj_kyb_jgc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Updating your help center theme</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">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.</p>
<div class="p">For detailed information about how to update your custom theme for generative search,
see <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832681626#topic_tjl_xqc_42c" target="_blank">Add generative search results to your custom
theme</a>.<div class="note" id="topic_axj_kyb_jgc__note_vnl_ld5_whc">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> Your help center theme can't be
customized to remove the text stating the suggestion was generated using
AI.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested1" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title4">Using generative search for help center</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">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. </p>
<p class="p">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.</p>
<p class="p">You can find information about <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408821324826#h_01K1KB596BQQJMETKX79QBC0WE" target="_blank">supported languages</a> for generative search
in the Zendesk language support article.</p>
<div class="p">
<strong class="ph b">To use generative search for help center</strong><ol class="ol" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c__ol_ink_3hf_z1c">
<li class="li">Enter a question or phrase in the help center search field and press
<strong class="ph b">Enter</strong>. <p class="p">The search page opens, displaying the search results
and, if available, an AI-generated answer.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c__image_wtc_jnk_y1c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/guide-gensearch-search-results.png" width="600"></p>
<p class="p">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."</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c__image_zbm_xnk_y1c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/guide-gensearch-noquick-hc.png" width="600"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">If you've installed or <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500748175258" target="_blank">embedded the Web Widget</a> and <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8008427696410" target="_blank">turned on multi-conversations</a>, you
can enter a follow-up question about the generative search results and press
<strong class="ph b">Enter</strong>.<p class="p" dir="ltr">This opens a conversation with an AI agent
where you can ask for more in-depth information. </p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c__image_csc_j3z_v3c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/Web+widget+for+gen+search.png" width="600"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">(Optional) Submit your feedback about the quick answer. <p class="p">Zendesk retains
feedback for up to 90 days and uses it to assess and improve the quality
of answers produced by generated search. </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c__ul_enl_fkr_y1c">
<li class="li">Click the thumbs-up icon <img class="image" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c__image_rcq_zmr_y1c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/gensearch-thumbsup.png" width="20"> to indicate the answer was
helpful.</li>
<li class="li">Click the thumbs-down icon <img class="image" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c__image_ubw_wlr_y1c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/gensearch-thumbsdown.png" width="20"> 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
<strong class="ph b">Submit feedback</strong>.<p class="p"><img class="image img-screenshot" id="topic_acg_knr_w1c__image_pcq_pkr_y1c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/GenSearch-feedback-neg.png" width="450"></p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
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