Managing languages and translation support in AI agents (Legacy)

<body>
<p id="docs-hc-snippet" style="display: none;">After youcreate an AI agent, you can specify its default language and configure either automatic or custom translations for an improved customer experience. Using these settings, you can select a language for a single-language AI agent or create a multilingual AI agent.</p>
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<div class="note attention" id="topic_gjj_tss_x4b__note_anc_myj_f2c">
<span class="attentiontitle"></span> <span class="ph">This article describes functionality that moved into
legacy status on July 31, 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" dir="ltr">After you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408824263578" target="_blank">create an AI agent</a>, you can specify
its default language and configure either automatic or custom translations for an
improved customer experience. Using these settings, you can select a language for
a single-language AI agent or create a multilingual AI agent.</p>
<p class="p" dir="ltr">You must be an admin to manage languages and translations for an AI
agent.</p>
<p class="p">This article contains the following topics:</p>
<div class="p">
<ul class="ul" id="topic_gjj_tss_x4b__ul_jfc_sng_5bc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_x2q_3ff_3fc">Understanding language support in AI agents</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_rzn_3cj_bpb">Configuring a default language for an AI agent</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ddp_kcj_bpb">Activating automatic translation for an AI agent</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_trh_sjg_5bc">Creating custom translations for AI agent messages</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p class="p">Related articles:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_gjj_tss_x4b__ul_kv4_kyl_dgc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/9466418506010" target="_blank">Best practices for supporting multiple
languages in an AI agent</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/6447052708762" target="_blank">Viewing and configuring settings for AI
agents</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title2" class="topic nested1" id="topic_x2q_3ff_3fc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title2">Understanding language support in AI agents</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">Which language an AI agent uses to respond to a customer depends on the
channel. </p>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title3" class="topic nested2" id="topic_w54_bnq_jhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title3">Language support on messaging channels</h3>
<div class="body">
<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> (which is
legacy functionality), the AI agent uses the language <a class="xref" href="#topic_rzn_3cj_bpb">set in the Language
section of the Settings tab</a>. By default, this is the same
as your <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408887059866#topic_rtc_42j_1y" target="_blank">account’s default
language</a>. This language can be any of the languages <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408821324826#01K20M7T89DW513X9KM1QPYAM6" target="_blank">listed here</a>.</p>
<p class="p">For AI-generated replies, the language the AI agent uses depends on the
language the customer types their message in: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_w54_bnq_jhc__ul_cnf_5yl_dgc">
<li class="li">If the customer’s language is <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408821324826-Zendesk-language-support-by-product#01K20M7T89DW513X9KM1QPYAM6:~:text=Languages%20supported%20in%20generative%20replies" target="_blank">supported by the AI
model</a>, the AI agent replies in that language. </li>
<li class="li">If the customer’s language isn't supported by the AI model, the AI
agent replies in the account’s default language.</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">If the system can’t confidently detect the customer’s language, the AI
agent replies in the previously successfully detected language within
the same conversation, if available. If not available, the AI agent
uses the same language as the standard responses.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title4" class="topic nested2" id="topic_pvy_cnq_jhc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title4">Language support on email, API, and web form channels</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">The AI agent generates a response using relevant help center content in
the same language as the language set in the requester's profile. If
no relevant content exists in the requester's language, the AI agent
uses content in either of the following languages, evaluated in
order:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_pvy_cnq_jhc__ul_ftv_dpq_jhc">
<li class="li">The parent language of the requester's language. For example, if
the requester's language is British English (en-gb), but no help
center content exists in that language, the AI agent uses
English (en). </li>
<li class="li">The AI agent's default language.</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title5" class="topic nested1" id="topic_rzn_3cj_bpb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title5">Configuring a default language for an AI agent</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">By default, your AI agent language is set to your <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408887059866#topic_rtc_42j_1y" target="_blank">account's default language</a>, but
you can change it if necessary. </p>
<p class="p">For consistency and ease of comprehension, the AI agent’s default language
should match the language used in its <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/8774095741466" target="_blank">standard responses</a>.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To configure a default language for an AI agent</strong></p>
<div class="p">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_rzn_3cj_bpb__ol_imj_n5l_n4b">
<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_rzn_3cj_bpb__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 configure a default language for. </li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Settings</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Language</strong> section to expand it. </li>
<li class="li">Use the drop-down menu to select your language.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_rzn_3cj_bpb__image_vnh_rzl_dgc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aiae_default_language_set.png" width="600"></p>
</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p class="p">Your changes are automatically saved, but updates to the AI agent’s default
language won’t be presented to customers until you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7232810932250" target="_blank">publish the AI agent</a>.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title6" class="topic nested1" id="topic_ddp_kcj_bpb">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title6">Activating automatic translation for an AI agent</h2>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can configure your AI agent to automatically translate its messages. This
includes its <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4422584657434#topic_slx_n4p_qtb" target="_blank">standard responses</a> and, if you
had a draft or published AI agent as of February 2, 2025, the text elements
in any <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408836323738" target="_blank">answer steps</a>, including AI agent
messages, options, button text and links, carousel card titles, image
descriptions, and variables. </p>
<p class="p">The AI agent’s <a class="xref" href="#topic_rzn_3cj_bpb">default
language</a> is used as the source language when translating text.
The language the AI agent translates messages into depends on where the Web
Widget is embedded. If the Web Widget is embedded in: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_ddp_kcj_bpb__ul_e2f_l5l_mhc">
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">A Zendesk help center</strong>, the AI agent uses the <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408822162330#topic_pw2_w3z_5pb" target="_blank">language provided by the help
center itself</a>. </li>
<li class="li">
<strong class="ph b">A website</strong>, the AI agent uses the end user’s browser language.
</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">In either case, you need to add the language as a supported language when
activating automatic translation, as described below. </p>
<p class="p">Activating automatic translation in an AI agent does not impact text elements
managed outside of the AI agent settings, such as help center articles. You
can, however, use dynamic content to translate some of these elements in
Zendesk Support. See <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408882999066" target="_blank">Providing multiple language support
with dynamic content</a>.</p>
<p class="p" dir="ltr">
<strong class="ph b">To activate automatic translation</strong>
</p>
<ol class="ol" id="topic_ddp_kcj_bpb__ol_gmv_xhj_bpb">
<li class="li" dir="ltr">
<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_ddp_kcj_bpb__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 automatic translation for.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Settings</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Language</strong> section to expand it.</li>
<li class="li">Select <strong class="ph b">Translate messages</strong>.</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Select languages for translation</strong> and select the languages
you want to include in the automatic translation process.<p class="p">To filter
the options, you can begin typing a language name.</p>
<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_ddp_kcj_bpb__image_dxh_41m_dgc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/aiae_activate_automatic_translation.png" width="600"></p>
</li>
</ol>
<p class="p">Your changes are automatically saved, but updates to the AI agent’s automatic
translation process won’t be presented to customers until you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7232810932250" target="_blank">publish the AI agent</a>.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title7" class="topic nested1" id="topic_trh_sjg_5bc">
<h2 class="title topictitle2" id="ariaid-title7">Creating custom translations for AI agent messages</h2>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">
<div class="div">
<div class="p">
<div class="note" id="topic_trh_sjg_5bc__note_exf_z1k_f2c">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> This section applies only if you're on
Support Professional and above or Suite Growth and
above.</div>
If you find that the automatic translations
for some AI agent messages don’t meet your standards—for
example, by translating product and brand names, using incorrect
pronouns, or using inaccurate phrasing—you can replace them with
custom translations. </div>
<p class="p">Custom message translations are manually written versions of the
text in the message fields of an AI agent’s <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4422584657434#topic_slx_n4p_qtb" target="_blank">standard responses</a>
and, if you had a draft or published AI agent as of February 2,
2025, AI agent messages in <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408836323738" target="_blank">answer steps</a>. Custom
translations aren’t available for other automatically translated
text elements (such as option or button text). </p>
<p class="p">To customize a message in a particular language, that language must
be: </p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_trh_sjg_5bc__ul_zfk_1bm_dgc">
<li class="li">Included in the <a class="xref" href="#topic_ddp_kcj_bpb">automatic translation settings</a>
</li>
<li class="li">Added to the list of <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408888770714#topic_aom_yxz_ye" target="_blank">available languages
in Zendesk Support</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p class="p">Custom-translated AI agent messages are sent to end users based on
their <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10395044176538#topic_gdx_55b_n3c" target="_blank">detected language</a>.
If a message field does not have a customized translation in the
end user’s detected language and that language is included in
the automatic translation settings, it will be
autotranslated.</p>
<p class="p">This section contains the following topics:</p>
<ul class="ul" id="topic_trh_sjg_5bc__ul_tq5_y1m_dgc">
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_ewt_fbm_dgc">Creating custom translations for AI agent standard responses</a></li>
<li class="li"><a class="xref" href="#topic_l51_lzj_f2c">Creating custom translations for AI agent messages in answer steps (Legacy)</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title8" class="topic nested2" id="topic_ewt_fbm_dgc">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title8">Creating custom translations for AI agent standard responses</h3>
<div class="body">
<p class="p">You can create custom translations for the text in an AI agent’s standard
responses.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To create a custom translation for a standard AI agent
response</strong></p>
<div class="p">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_ewt_fbm_dgc__ol_emm_vlg_5bc">
<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_ewt_fbm_dgc__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 create custom translations
for.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Messaging behavior</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">Click the standard response you want to create a custom
translation for.</li>
<li class="li">Under the message text, click <strong class="ph b">Manage
translations</strong>.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_ewt_fbm_dgc__image_fmm_vlg_5bc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/manage_translations_behavior.png" width="500"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click the pencil icon for the language you want to
customize, then enter the custom text.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_ewt_fbm_dgc__image_gmm_vlg_5bc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/manage_translations-customizing_ex.png"></p>
<p class="p">Repeat this step
for additional languages if needed.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Done</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p class="p">Your changes are automatically saved, but updates to the AI agent’s
custom translations won’t be presented to customers until you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7232810932250" target="_blank">publish the AI agent</a>.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div aria-labelledby="ariaid-title9" class="topic nested2" id="topic_l51_lzj_f2c">
<h3 class="title topictitle3" id="ariaid-title9">Creating custom translations for AI agent messages in answer steps (Legacy)</h3>
<div class="body">
<div class="p">
<div class="note" id="topic_l51_lzj_f2c__note_vlz_x1k_f2c">
<span class="notetitle">Note:</span> This section applies only if you had a
draft or published AI agent as of February 2, 2025.</div>
</div>
<p class="p">You can create custom translations for the AI agent messages in an answer
step.</p>
<p class="p"><strong class="ph b">To create a custom translation for an answer</strong></p>
<div class="p">
<ol class="ol" id="topic_l51_lzj_f2c__ol_mlq_zjg_5bc">
<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_l51_lzj_f2c__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 create custom translations
for.</li>
<li class="li">Click the <strong class="ph b">Answers</strong> tab.</li>
<li class="li">Select the answer you want to create a custom translation
for.<p class="p">The bot builder opens.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click the AI agent message you want to create a custom
translation for.<p class="p">You can’t create custom translations
for other text elements, such as option or button
text.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Under the AI agent message, click <strong class="ph b">Manage
translations</strong>.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_l51_lzj_f2c__image_nc4_tkg_5bc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/manage_translations_bot_builder.png" width="320"></p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click the pencil icon for the language you want to
customize, then enter the custom text.<p class="p"><img class="image" id="topic_l51_lzj_f2c__image_ay4_xkg_5bc" src="https://zen-marketing-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/en/manage_translations-customizing_ex.png"></p>
<p class="p">Repeat this step
for additional languages if needed.</p>
</li>
<li class="li">Click <strong class="ph b">Done</strong>.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<p class="p">Your changes are automatically saved, but updates to the AI agent’s
custom translations won’t be presented to customers until you <a class="xref" href="https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/7232810932250" target="_blank">publish the AI agent</a>.</p>
</div>
</div>
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