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What is this?

AI steps let your automation write a reply with AI instead of you typing every answer. There are two, and the difference is simple:
  • AI Response (Basic) — like asking a helpful stranger. You give it a personality (a “system prompt”), and it replies using only that and the chat so far.
  • AI Response (Advanced) — like asking your trained team member. It uses one of your AI agents, so it can look things up in your knowledge (prices, policies, FAQs) before answering.
Both use the AI settings you’ve already set up — you don’t enter a new key here. [SCREENSHOT: automation-steps-ai-config — The AI Response (Advanced) step settings showing Mode, Agent, Input, and Reply Action]

What can I do here?

You need an active AI setting first (Settings → AI Setting). For the Advanced step you also need at least one AI agent.

How to use it

AI Response (Basic)

What it does: sends the AI your instructions and, optionally, the conversation so far, and gets a reply. When to use it: small jobs — a friendly answer to an open question, or summarizing what the customer said.
  • System Prompt (required) — tells the AI who it is and how to answer, like “You are a polite assistant for a bakery. Keep replies under 2 sentences.”
  • Include Conversation History — when on, the AI can see earlier messages so its reply makes sense in context.
  • Save Response To Field (optional) — stores the reply in a custom field for later steps.

AI Response (Advanced)

What it does: asks a chosen AI agent to reply using its instructions and, if you want, its knowledge. This step only writes a reply — it doesn’t run the agent’s actions, like handing off or updating contacts. When to use it: questions about your business — prices, hours, policies — where the answer should come from your own facts.
  1. ModeUse selected agent, or Auto choose agent to let the platform pick the best-fitting agent for the question.
  2. Agent — pick one (when using a selected agent).
  3. InputLatest message (what the customer just wrote) or Custom input (write your own prompt). Optionally turn on Include custom fields to give the AI more context about the contact.
  4. Knowledge UsageUse agent instructions + knowledge base, or Use agent instructions only.
  5. Reply ActionSend reply only, Save reply to field only, or Send reply and save to field.
  6. On AI failure — what to do if the AI can’t answer (no agent found, empty result, or an error): Send fallback message, Continue flow silently, or Assign to team member.

Which one should I use?

Troubleshooting / Technical Notes

  • The step doesn’t reply. Check that an AI setting is active in Settings → AI Setting, and that the Advanced step has a matching agent.
  • The AI makes things up. Use the Advanced step with Use agent instructions + knowledge base, and add the missing facts to the agent’s knowledge.
  • The AI fails for some customers. Set On AI failure to Assign to team member so a human picks up.
  • I want the agent to take actions (like a hand-off). This step is reply-only. Use the agent itself with Agentic Mode.
Last modified on September 20, 2026