Create a custom AI Search experience for Virtual Agent conversations

Define a custom AI Search experience in a conversation using the AI Search topic block. You create a Search Application Configuration used by the topic block to control the AI Search results returned in the conversation. Or you can use the Search Application Configuration to control AI Search results in a custom chat experience.

Before you begin

Create the search profile that defines the search experience to be used in the search application configuration. For details, see Search profiles and Search application configurations.

Role required: virtual_agent_admin or admin with the search application administrator [search_application_admin] role

About this task

A search application configuration specifies the AI Search profile used by the Run AI Search topic block or in a custom chat experience to control the search experience, such as the search source used to generate search results.

Note: As of the Utah release, use the AI Search topic block when creating an AI Search application. (The Run AI Search topic block is used in releases from Rome to Tokyo.)

Procedure

  1. Navigate to All > AI Search > Search Experience > Search Applications and select New to create the search application configuration.
  2. On the form, fill in the fields.
    Table 1. Search Applications Configuration form
    FieldDescription
    Name

    Name for the search application to be used by the AI Search topic block.
    Search Engine

    Search engine to use in this search application. Use AI Search as the search engine.
    Search Profile

    Search profile that stores the search experience settings for generating AI Search results.
    Search Results Limit Maximum number of search results that the application should display.
    Note: The search query in Virtual Agent returns 3 results per query. However, the limit can be changed by using the com.glide.cs.ai_search.max_regular_result system property, for a maximum of 10 results. For more information, see Improving the user experience with AI Search.
    Genius Results Limit Maximum number of Genius Result cards to be displayed.
    Note: Virtual Agent supports only 1 or 0 card results per AI Search query. If you change this field to a different value, Virtual Agent still displays only 1 or 0 card results.
    Enable Typo Handling

    Option to auto-correct search query terms to match terms found in the search profile's typo handling dictionary. For Virtual Agent, turn off this option by deselecting it.
  3. Select Submit.
  4. Apply the custom Search Application Configuration to the AI Search topic block used in a conversation or to a custom chat experience.
    OptionProcedure
    Specify the custom Search Application Configuration in the AI Search topic block used in a conversation Add the AI Search topic block to a conversation topic. For details, see Add a reusable topic block to a calling topic or topic block.
    1. Navigate to Conversational Interfaces > Virtual Agent > Designer and select the topic or create a new topic.
    2. In the Flow tab, drag the Topic Block utility onto the canvas.
    3. Complete the Topic Block Properties sheet:
      • In the Topic Block field, select AI Search.
      • In the Search Term (String) field, use dot-walking or a script to specify the input variable for the search.
      • In the Search Application Configuration field, select the custom Search Application Configuration that you created in a previous step.

        If you leave this field empty, AI Search uses the default search application configuration for Virtual Agent.

      • If needed, click Hide this node and specify conditions.
    4. Select Save.

      The AI Search topic block runs the selected search application configuration to generate the customized AI Search experience.
    Use the custom Search Application Configuration in a custom chat experience Create or update a custom chat experience that uses the Run AI Search topic block with the custom Search Application Configuration. For details on creating a custom experience, see Configure a Virtual Agent chat experience.
    Your custom Search Application Configuration is used in the AI Search topic block in a conversation or a custom chat experience to generate the customized AI Search experience.