> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.userlane.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.userlane.com/assistance/the-assistant/configure-the-ai-assistant.md).

# Configure the AI Assistant

Turn on the AI Assistant for an audience, then set its name, starter questions, tone, guardrails, and access to general knowledge.

The AI Assistant[^1] is set up in the Userlane portal, under **Agentic Assistance**. From there you choose whether it is on and who sees it, and you control how it behaves: its name and welcome message, its tone, the topics it will not answer on, whether it can use general knowledge, the starter questions it offers, and the support contact it hands off to.

This article walks through each of those settings for one application.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Before starting.** Settings apply per application, to everyone in the audience you choose, so there is no separate configuration per individual user. To try the Assistant with a small test group first, create an [audience](/administration/audiences.md) for that group before you turn it on.
{% endhint %}

## Turn on the AI Assistant

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

#### Open Agentic Assistance

In the portal, open **Agentic Assistance** for the application.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Choose who sees the Assistant

Under **Choose your audience**, select who should see it. You can make it available to everyone, or limit it to one or more audiences.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Activate it

Switch on **Activate AI Assistant**.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Save

Save your changes.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2Fi0Qfpr7OXwxotXCiK0XM%2Fcfg-activate.png?alt=media" alt="Agentic Assistance settings showing the audience selection and the Activate AI Assistant switch"><figcaption><p>Choosing the audience and activating the AI Assistant.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

{% hint style="success" %}
**Result.** Only the users in the audience you chose see the AI Assistant. Everyone else continues to see the Userlane Assistant without AI answers.
{% endhint %}

## Set the Assistant's identity

**Name.** This is the name your users see for the Assistant. Use whatever fits your organization. It is shown exactly as you enter it and is not translated.

**Welcome message.** The greeting shown when a user opens the Assistant. It is translated automatically into your users' languages.

**Avatar.** The AI Assistant uses the same avatar as your Userlane Assistant. To change it, go to **Customize** > **Design**, and the change applies in both places.

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FRAGYhbLTNDLlFij6uv05%2Fcfg-identity.png?alt=media" alt="Identity settings for the AI Assistant with the name and welcome message fields"><figcaption><p>The name and welcome message users see when they open the Assistant.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

## Choose the starter questions

Starter questions are the prompts shown to a user before they type, to help them get started. There are up to four, and you choose which appear:

* Two ready-made questions: **Updates**, which surfaces recent announcements, and **Support**, which routes the user to your support contact and help documentation.
* Two of your own, which you write and point at specific content.

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FbGIk4wJAdotrQboD0txT%2Fcfg-starters-1.png?alt=media" alt="Starter question settings showing the ready-made Updates and Support questions"><figcaption><p>The ready-made starter questions.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FqXis3eiQNsv5gsaSCQnf%2Fcfg-starters-2.png?alt=media" alt="A custom starter question with its wording and the content it points to"><figcaption><p>A custom starter question pointed at specific content.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

## Set the tone and guardrails

These two settings shape how the Assistant sounds and which topics it stays away from.

**Tone** sets how the Assistant phrases its answers. The options are **Neutral** (the default), **Professional**, **Friendly**, and **Concise**. Tone changes the wording only. It never changes the facts, the sources, or the results an answer is based on.

**Guardrails** let you choose any topic the Assistant should avoid. A user who asks about one of those topics is sent to your support contact instead, which is useful where certain subjects should always be handled by a person rather than by AI.

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2Ft18cufRBP1RZmrDfQUJU%2Fcfg-behavior.png?alt=media" alt="Behavior settings with the tone options and the guardrail topics"><figcaption><p>Tone and guardrail settings.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

## Decide whether the Assistant can use general knowledge

**Access to general knowledge** controls whether the Assistant may answer from general knowledge when your published content does not cover a question. Those answers are always labeled as coming from general knowledge. This is on by default. Switch it off for applications that should only ever answer from your own content.

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://259567114-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FF6bxg8i3T6U4vZ3k7PHi%2Fuploads%2FRAGYhbLTNDLlFij6uv05%2Fcfg-identity.png?alt=media" alt="The Access to general knowledge setting in the knowledge section"><figcaption><p>The general knowledge setting.</p></figcaption></figure></div>

## Set the help and support links

When the Assistant cannot answer, it offers a support contact, and the **Support** starter question sends users to the same place. Both come from the help and support links on the **Customize** > **Help** page. Set or update them there, and the Assistant uses them. See [Support email routing](/assistance/the-assistant/connections/support-email-routing.md).

## Good to know

* Changes take effect the next time a user loads the application.
* Application and company details curated by Userlane are shown as read-only. The settings described above are the ones you edit.

## Relevant articles

{% content-ref url="/pages/XDGntxUJimFOtJOihyow" %}
[The Assistant](/assistance/the-assistant.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/FxcQeBasWlRhc3HVdmJT" %}
[Knowledge connectors](/assistance/the-assistant/connections/knowledge-connectors.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/7EPCKtnfdYXjGlW43dbR" %}
[Connect your own AI service](/assistance/the-assistant/connections/connect-your-own-ai-service.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/JgC043lTBvbd2lZFOXX3" %}
[Assistant analytics](/assistance/the-assistant/assistant-analytics.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## FAQ

<details>

<summary>Where is the AI Assistant configured?</summary>

In the Userlane portal, under **Agentic Assistance**. Settings apply per application.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Does the tone setting change what the Assistant says?</summary>

No. Tone changes the wording only. It never changes the facts, the sources, or the results an answer is based on.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can an application answer only from its own content?</summary>

Yes. Switch off **Access to general knowledge** for that application, and the Assistant answers only from your published and connected content.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can settings differ for individual users?</summary>

No. Settings apply per application, to everyone in the audience that sees the Assistant.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Is the Assistant's name translated?</summary>

No. The name is shown exactly as entered. The welcome message is translated automatically into your users' languages.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Where does the Assistant's support contact come from?</summary>

From the help and support links on the **Customize** > **Help** page. The Assistant uses whatever is set there.

</details>

[^1]: The AI Assistant is the conversational feature inside the Userlane Assistant panel that answers questions from published and connected content, and hands off to guides or support.


---

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