Creating an AI agent for your web and mobile channels

What's my plan?

Note: This functionality is part of AI agents - Essential.

You can offer more complex, automated conversations through your Web Widget or mobile messaging channels, beyond the basic response setup, by creating an AI agent to interact with customers before handing them off to an agent.

Note: This article applies to AI agents for web and mobile messaging channels. If you're using a social messaging channel, see Using bot builder to create a social messaging bot.

This article includes the following topics:

• About AI agents for messaging
• Creating an AI agent for messaging
• Creating an AI agent for messaging (Legacy)
• Cloning an AI agent for messaging

Related articles:

• Viewing and configuring settings for AI agents for messaging
• Adding and removing an AI agent for a messaging channel
• Setting the standard responses for an AI agent for messaging

About AI agents for messaging

If you have an active help center, AI agents for messaging deliver automated, AI-generated answers in response to customer requests, with information from your own trusted help center content, without needing to build custom answers.

Through the use of generative AI, when a relevant help center article is identified, generative replies are displayed as a single message with a link to the source article. These messages are short (generally under 100 words) and reflect the AI agent’s persona.

These replies are always followed by a standard request for end-user feedback (“Was this helpful - yes/no”). You can configure AI agent responses to this feedback.

If you’re using a restricted help center, the AI agent response respects the article view permissions set in Guide, which means:

• If the end user, agent, or admin is authenticated via the messaging authentication protocol and user mapping established with an external ID, the AI agent can suggest relevant restricted articles.
• If the end user is unauthenticated, the AI agent will suggest only public articles.

For more information, see Configuring your account for using restricted content in AI agents.

Creating an AI agent for messaging

Note: This section applies only if you didn't have a drafted or published AI agent as of February 3, 2025. Otherwise, see Creating an AI agent for messaging (Legacy).

Creating an AI agent for messaging means you’re adding the ability to use the AI agent in a channel’s messaging configuration. Until you add an AI agent to a specific messaging channel and publish it, the default messaging response remains active for that channel.

These instructions assume you've already created a web or mobile messaging channel.

To add an AI agent for messaging

1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select AI agents and automation > AI agents.
2. Click Manage AI agents for messaging.
3. Click Create AI agent at the top of the page.

   Alternatively, you can clone an existing AI agent as a starting point.

4. In Name, enter a name for the AI agent.

   This name is displayed at the top of the widget where the AI agent is deployed. Choose a name that makes it clear customers are not talking to a human.

5. Select a Tone of voice:
   • Professional: (Default) A polite and direct tone.
   • Informal: A casual and friendly tone.
   • Enthusiastic: An upbeat and friendly tone.
6. Click Next.
7. In Brand, use the drop-down to select a brand to apply to the AI agent.

   Appears only if you use multiple brands. If the help center for the brand you selected is not active, you’ll see an error message with a link to the help center that needs to be activated before you can proceed.

   

8. Click Next.

   A test version of your AI agent appears.

9. Test your AI agent to be sure it performs the way you expect.

   For help, see Testing the end user’s messaging experience.

10. Choose your next step:
    1. Click Go to publish to publish the AI agent. The AI agent won’t be available to customers until it’s published. See Publishing an AI agent to add it to a channel.
    2. Click Advanced settings to configure additional settings that affect the AI agent’s behavior. See Viewing and configuring settings for AI agents for messaging.

Creating an AI agent for messaging (Legacy)

Note: This section applies only if you'd drafted or published an AI agent before February 3, 2025.

Creating an AI agent for messaging means you’re adding the ability to use the AI agent in a channel’s messaging configuration. Until you add an AI agent to a specific messaging channel and publish it, the default messaging response remains active for that channel.

These instructions assume you have already created a web or mobile messaging channel.

To add an AI agent for messaging

1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select AI agents and automation > AI agents.
2. Click Manage AI agents for messaging.
3. Click Create AI agent at the top of the page.

   Alternatively, you can clone an existing AI agent as a starting point for your new AI agent.

4. In The basics, enter the information, then click Next.
   • Enter a name for the AI agent. This name is displayed at the top of the widget where the AI agent is deployed.
   • Add a custom avatar (optional). The custom avatar replaces the default AI agent avatar. The image can be a JPG, PNG, or GIF file and it must be smaller than 100KB. An image size of 50x50 pixels gives the best results.
   • If you’re using multiple brands, use the drop-down to select a brand to apply to the AI agent.
5. In Language, select a AI agent language from the drop-down for your AI agent then click Next.
6. In Generative AI, select Turn on generative AI features if you want your AI agent to use generative replies and AI agent personas.
7. Click Create AI agent at the bottom of the page.

A basic AI agent for messaging with a standard response is created with the Behavior tab open, where you can set the standard AI agent responses. You can begin adding answers to define its behavior in the Answers tab.

Your new AI agent remains in draft mode until it's published and connected to a messaging channel.

Cloning an AI agent for messaging

You can clone an existing AI agent, then use it as the starting point for building a new AI agent.

To clone an existing AI agent

1. In Admin Center, click Channels in the sidebar, then select AI agents and automation > AI agents.
2. Click Manage AI agents for messaging.
3. Click the AI agent's Options icon () and select Clone.

The AI agent is copied and added to the end of your AI agent list. It's given the same name as the original AI agent and appended with (copy).

After you’ve cloned the AI agent, you can build it by adding, editing, or deleting its answers as needed.