---
title: "Understanding Ask AI"
description: "Ask AI is an intelligent search feature that transforms your knowledge discovery. Your entire knowledge base is just one question away."
url: "https://support.helpdocs.io/article/2igy0wvoj4-understanding-ask-ai"
category: "HelpDocs AI"
updated_at: "2026-09-07T15:13:15Z"
---

# Understanding Ask AI

Our AI-powered search feature Ask AI transforms how your customers interact with your Knowledge Base ✨

This powerful feature helps visitors find exactly what they need, faster and more intuitively than ever before. No more endless scrolling or keyword guesswork!

Ask AI is only available on certain [plans](https://www.helpdocs.io/pricing) and [templates](/article/uQDebSnIrD-choosing-a-layout). Check your current subscription and settings to access this feature ✋

[Embedded iframe](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1072155233)

### What is Ask AI?

Ask AI (also known as Generative Search) is an intelligent search solution that scans your entire Knowledge Base and delivers precise, contextual results. Unlike generic AI tools, Ask AI only pulls information directly from your content, ensuring accuracy and relevance.

![Abstract flowing pink, orange, and teal background with a HelpDocs AI logo.](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/2igy0wvoj4/1745506851093/ask-ai.png)

| Ask AI is                                                     | Ask AI isn't                                                                                                                              |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| An advanced search tool                                       | A chatbot or conversational interface                                                                                                     |
| A way to get comprehensive answers from a Knowledge Base      | A general AI assistant                                                                                                                    |
| A feature that consolidates information from multiple sources | A replacement for your entire Knowledge Base                                                                                              |
| A tool that understands search intent and context             | A tool that generates new content (you can do that with [our Draft Article](/article/d0o93ykdod-writing-a-draft-article-with-ai) feature) |

#### How Ask AI Works

Ask AI will show above standard search results when the search query is longer than a few keywords. This makes it ideal for complex questions and natural language inquiries.

Ask AI and the underlying AI model won't be trained using your content. Your internal content won't be accessible unless a user has access 🔐

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/diagrams/jk7i8ur1la.svg?cb=1743677543)

When a visitor searches using natural language, Ask AI:

- Searches through all your Knowledge Base articles
- Pulls relevant information from matching content
- Displays helpful results with source attribution

Each Ask AI search summary [costs 1 credit](/article/pnlhzz2h5m-understanding-ai-credits) from your monthly budget.

There are daily usage limits to ensure fair resource distribution. You can only use a certain percentage of your monthly limit per day, and there's also a user rate limit in place to prevent spam.

### Enabling Ask AI

[Embedded iframe](https://player.vimeo.com/video/1072168468)

1. Head to **Settings** > **AI**
2. From the feature dropdown, click **Ask AI (Generative Search)**
3. Set a [Monthly Search Budget](#managing_monthly_ai_search_budget) (default is 0)
4. Save Changes

If your monthly budget is set to 0 then Ask AI won't appear.

Ask AI is fully compatible with [v5 templates](/article/uQDebSnIrD-choosing-a-layout) and above. Older [custom templates](/article/l8q1fmsnx7-getting-started-with-a-custom-html-template) may require modifications, and legacy templates may not be compatible at all. If you're using an older template and want to try out Ask AI, you can do that [with .dev](/article/159uaio6oz-testing-customizations-with-dot-dev).

### Managing Monthly AI Search Budget

![Screenshot of credit usage, showing monthly limit, additional credits, and total credits remaining.](https://files.helpdocs.io/Ytt2uahFxY/articles/2igy0wvoj4/1743685870884/monthly-search-budget.png)

To prevent unexpected billing, you can easily limit your monthly AI search budget:

1. Head to **Settings** > **AI**
2. Scroll down to the **Usage** section
3. Next to **Monthly Search Budget**, enter your desired monthly search budget
4. Once the budget is reached, Ask AI will automatically disable to prevent additional charges

We recommend having at least 100 set as your monthly search budget.

If the Ask AI search fails you generally won't be charged. If it yields no results, you will still be charged.

### Troubleshooting Ask AI

If Ask AI isn't appearing on your Knowledge Base:

- Check that your monthly budget is set above 0
- Ensure you're using a compatible template (v5 or above)
- Verify your plan includes Ask AI features