# AI knowledge and web search

Give agents configured knowledge lookup, web search and page-reading functions to support their answers.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › AI › Functions** · **Settings › AI › Knowledge Sources** · **Settings › AI › Features**

## What it is

**Knowledge Base**, **Google Search** and **Web Browser** give an agent information beyond the conversation. They can retrieve business knowledge, return search results or read text from a web page. The agent uses the returned material when preparing its answer.

## Who uses it and why

Users with the **Settings** or **Developer** role configure sources and decide which lookup functions an agent can use. Operators receive better-informed suggestions or private answers. Visitors can receive answers based on the configured information through Autopilot.

## Where to find it

Create the functions under **Settings › AI › Functions** and manage source records under **Settings › AI › Knowledge Sources**. Assign them under **Settings › AI › Features** or through an assigned skill.

You need **Settings** with **AI** allowed under **Settings Permissions**, or **Developer**. Operators and visitors use the resulting answers through their normal AI conversation tools.

## How it works

- **Knowledge Base** sends a query to the configured knowledge service and returns matching records. An empty match produces no retrieved records.
- **Google Search** submits a query to the configured Google search engine and returns result titles, links and snippets. A search snippet is not the full page.
- **Web Browser** requests a page and extracts its title, link and selected text. With no **CSS Selector**, it reads the page body.

If **Get product details from link data** is enabled, **Web Browser** first tries to find embedded product information. If it finds none, it falls back to page text.

The agent decides whether another lookup is needed before answering, subject to its instructions and remaining execution allowance. Citations depend on the returned information and the feature's citation configuration.

## Configure it

Create a function of the required type. For **Knowledge Base**, select **Knowledge Base Type** and complete that service's connection and search options. Associate a **Knowledge Source** where the integration uses one.

For **Google Search**, configure **API Key** and **API CX**. For **Web Browser**, set **CSS Selector** only when the agent should read a particular page section. Use simple selectors for a tag, ID or class.

Enable and assign the function to the intended feature or skill. Write a description explaining what information it can retrieve and when it is useful.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSS Selector | Settings › AI › Functions | website | Not set; read the page body | Settings role, Developer role | Restricts Web Browser extraction to a selected part of the page. |
| Override User Agent | Settings › AI › Functions | website | Not set: sends Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; INSIDEBrowser/3.0;) | Settings role, Developer role | Changes the browser identity sent with Web Browser page requests. |
| Get product details from link data | Settings › AI › Functions | website | Off | Settings role, Developer role | Tries to return embedded product information before extracting ordinary page text. |

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge Base Type | Settings › AI › Functions | Yes | Selects the knowledge service and its connection options. |
| Knowledge Source | Settings › AI › Functions | No | Associates the function with a configured source where supported. |
| API Key | Settings › AI › Functions | Yes | Supplies the Google Search service credential for a Google Search function. |
| API CX | Settings › AI › Functions | Yes | Identifies the Google search engine used by a Google Search function. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Configure retrieval functions and sources when AI is allowed under Settings Permissions. |
| AI | Allows AI configuration within Settings Permissions. |
| Developer | Configure retrieval functions and sources. |

## Limits and good to know

- Basic **Web Browser** limits returned content to **2000 characters**, with a truncation marker added for longer content.
- It reads the retrieved page text. Do not rely on it for interactive page navigation or content that requires JavaScript to render.
- Selector support is limited. A complex selector or a changed page layout can prevent extraction.
- Knowledge filters, result counts and search behaviour depend on the selected service.
- Assigning a retrieval function does not guarantee a lookup on every question or a citation on every answer.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [AI functions and required inputs](AI-016.md): The agent must have the appropriate retrieval function available.
- **Configured in** [Roles and permissions](ADM-008.md): Roles and AI permissions control configuration access.
- **Configured in** [AI feature settings and change history](AI-001.md): The feature assigns functions and instructions to the agent.
- **Configured in** [AI run limits](AI-014.md): Searches and page reads consume the agent's execution allowance.
- **Configured in** [Knowledge Base connections for AI](AIP-009.md): Knowledge Base function settings choose the retrieval service, search mode and result limits.
- **Configured in** [Algolia Search for AI knowledge](AIP-010.md): Algolia function settings select the application, index and result count.
- **Configured in** [Knowledge sources behind AI citations](AIP-012.md): Knowledge Source records name retrieved information for citation display.
- **Works better with** [Reusable AI skills and instructions](AI-020.md): A skill can add retrieval functions when it activates.
- **Works better with** [AI answer citations and summaries](AI-028.md): Supported answers can show citations from retrieved sources.
- **Works better with** [AI result processor templates](AI-040.md): A result processor can transform retrieved output or derive citations.

### Used by

- **Enhances** [Autopilot for live chat](AI-003.md): Knowledge and search functions can supply answer information.
- **Enhances** [AI functions and required inputs](AI-016.md): Knowledge and browser functions provide retrieved information.
- **Enhances** [AI answer citations and summaries](AI-028.md): Knowledge and search tools can supply cited source material.
- **Related** [Knowledge Base connections for AI](AIP-009.md): The knowledge and web search overview explains how agents choose between knowledge retrieval, web search and page reading.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why does the answer omit information lower down a page?

The basic browser returns only the first **2000 characters** of extracted content. Use a selector that targets the relevant section, or provide the content through a suitable knowledge source.

### Why does search return a link but not the detail on that page?

**Google Search** returns snippets. Give the agent a **Web Browser** function if it also needs to read page text.

### Why did Web Browser fail after a website redesign?

Review **CSS Selector** against the updated page structure. Start with a simple selector or clear it to read the body.

### Why is my knowledge function returning no matches?

Check the selected source, service connection, available content and filters. Also check that the function is enabled and assigned to the feature or active skill.