Configuring settings for generative replies in AI agents

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<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">If you'veimported a knowledge source, your AI agent can use that information to provide conversational, AI-generated answers to the questions your customers ask. These types of AI-generated answers are known as generative replies.</p>
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<p class="p">If you've <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749301658" target="_blank">imported a knowledge source</a>, your AI agent can
use that information to provide conversational, AI-generated answers to the questions
your customers ask. These types of AI-generated answers are known as generative replies. </p>
<p class="p">There are several settings you can configure that affect the behavior of these generative
replies.</p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="personalization_settings__ul_tr2_n35_bgc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_kr5_qg5_bgc">Sending a waiting message before generative replies</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_szp_sg5_bgc">Displaying sources for generative replies</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_kr5_qg5_bgc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Sending a waiting message before generative replies</h2>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">
<div class="note" id="topic_kr5_qg5_bgc__note_btl_pjr_t3c">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> The waiting message setting described in this section
will be deprecated in July 2026. As an alternative, you can <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10448933203994#topic_pw2_pzr_t3c" target="_blank">edit the Knowledge reply</a> to instruct
the AI agent to send an acknowledgement message to the customer before executing
a knowledge search. However, don't do both at the same time, as doing so will
result in double waiting messages being sent to the customer.</div>
</div>
<p class="p">You can choose whether to display a waiting message to a user when an AI agent is
generating a reply based on a knowledge source. By default, this option is turned
on. </p>
<p class="p">The waiting message itself is generated by AI, meaning it varies each time it’s sent
and can’t be prescribed. However, the phrasing is affected by the AI agent's <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357758773658" target="_blank">persona</a> and <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8357749291290" target="_blank">instructions</a>.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To configure whether a waiting message is sent</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_kr5_qg5_bgc__ol_zh5_lh5_bgc">
<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_kr5_qg5_bgc__d8e261" 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">Advanced settings</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Deselect or select <strong class="ph b">Send a waiting message while generating knowledge
answers</strong>.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_kr5_qg5_bgc__image_mm2_b35_bgc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aiaa_personalization_advanced_settings.png" width="600"></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested1" id="topic_szp_sg5_bgc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title3">Displaying sources for generative replies</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can choose whether the AI agent shows the customer the knowledge sources it used
to generate a reply. By default, this option is turned on.</p>
<p class="p">The sources are included as the last part of the AI agent's message. Customers can
click Sources to see links to the articles the AI agent used to generate its
answer.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" height="450" id="topic_szp_sg5_bgc__image_plc_mlw_g3c" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aia_knowledge_sources_shown_1.png" width="300">
<img class="image" height="450" id="topic_szp_sg5_bgc__image_o1r_mlw_3kc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aia_knowledge_sources_shown_2.png" width="300"></p>
<div class="p">
<div class="note" id="topic_szp_sg5_bgc__note_izg_1qc_hgc">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> CSV files aren't listed as sources, even when the AI
agent uses information from them to generate a response.</div>
</div>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To display sources for generative replies</strong></p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_szp_sg5_bgc__ol_yfk_vh5_bgc">
<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_szp_sg5_bgc__d8e261" 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">Advanced settings</strong>.</span></li>
<li class="li">Deselect or select <strong class="ph b">Display sources for generative replies</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
</div>
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