The AI Agent in BoldDesk depends on several components to function correctly, including activation settings, data sources, workflow configuration, and chat handover logic. If any of these components are misconfigured, the AI Agent may fail to respond or provide unexpected results.

This article outlines the most common causes and recommended solutions to help you quickly identify and resolve AI Agent response issues.

Quick Checklist

Before reviewing the detailed troubleshooting steps, verify the following:

• The AI Agent is enabled in the Live Chat widget.
• The correct AI Agent is assigned to the widget.
• Data sources are configured and synchronized.
• Knowledge Base articles contain the required information.
• Relevant articles are published and accessible based on their visibility settings.
• No workflow conflicts are preventing AI responses.
• The conversation has not been escalated to a human agent.
• The AI Agent is using the same configuration in both Playground and Live Chat.

1. AI Agent Is Not Enabled in the Live Chat Widget

One of the most common reasons for AI Agent non-responsiveness is that the AI Agent is not enabled in the Live Chat widget settings.

To verify this setting, navigate to:

Admin → Chat → Live Chat → Widget Settings → General → Enable AI Agent

Related Article: Enable AI Agent in BoldDesk Live Chat for 24/7 Support

Fix

• Ensure that Enable AI Agent is turned on.
• Confirm that the widget is mapped to the correct AI Agent. Each widget supports only one AI Agent at a time.

2. AI Agent Has No Data Sources to Respond With

The AI Agent relies on configured data sources to generate responses. If no data sources are assigned, the AI Agent will be unable to answer customer queries effectively.

Verify that the AI Agent has access to one or more of the following:

• Knowledge Base articles
• Web pages
• Uploaded files
• Custom Q&A entries

Related Article: How to Add Knowledge Sources to BoldDesk AI 2.0

Fix

• Add or assign data sources to the AI Agent.
• Ensure the Knowledge Base content is published and accessible according to the configured visibility settings.

3. AI Agent Responds in Playground but Not in Live Chat

In some cases, the AI Agent may provide the expected answer when tested in the Playground, but fail to provide the same response during a live customer interaction.

This behavior is typically caused by data source configuration issues, Knowledge Base visibility settings, or the use of content that is not accessible during Live Chat interactions.

1. Ensure the Data Source Contains Relevant Content

The AI Agent can only generate responses using information available in its assigned data sources.

Fix

• Verify that the required information exists in the linked Knowledge Base articles, web pages, uploaded files, or Q&A entries.
• Ensure the content provides sufficient detail to answer the customer’s question.
• Re-test the query in both the Playground and Live Chat after updating the content.

2. Verify Knowledge Base Article Visibility

Knowledge Base visibility settings can affect whether content is available to the AI Agent during customer interactions.

Fix

• Confirm that the article is published and configured with the appropriate visibility settings.
• If the information should be available to the AI Agent but not directly visible to customers, use a Q&A data source instead of a public Knowledge Base article.
• Re-sync the AI Agent after updating article visibility settings.

3. Use Q&A for Internal or Non-Public Information

If you want the AI Agent to answer questions using information that should not be exposed through customer-facing articles, use a Q&A data source.

Fix

• Create a dedicated Q&A entry containing the required information.
• Assign the Q&A source to the AI Agent.
• Rebuild or synchronize the AI Agent’s data sources.
• Test the same question again in both the Playground and Live Chat environments.

Additional Validation Steps

If responses differ between the Playground and Live Chat:

• Confirm that the same AI Agent is being used in both environments.
• Verify that all required data sources are assigned to the AI Agent.
• Test the same question using identical wording in both the Playground and Live Chat widget.

Expected Result

The AI Agent should provide consistent responses across both Playground and Live Chat when:

• Relevant content exists in the configured data sources.
• Content is accessible based on the configured visibility settings.
• Internal or non-public information is configured using Q&A entries where appropriate.

3. Workflow and AI Agent Running in Parallel (Conflict Issue)

A common issue occurs when an AI Agent is automatically assigned to a chat while a workflow simultaneously attempts to collect customer information, such as an email address.

Because both processes run at the same time, the workflow may fail and the AI Agent may stop responding.

Symptoms

• The AI Agent responds initially and then stops.
• Agents receive the following error message:

Fix

• Configure chat routing to Assign to AI Agent (Workflow) instead of Direct Assignment.
• Ensure workflows collect all required customer information before the AI Agent takes over the conversation.

4. Live Agent or Escalation Logic Blocking AI Responses

The AI Agent stops responding by design when a visitor requests to speak with a human agent or when an agent manually takes ownership of the conversation.

Symptoms

• The chat is assigned to a human agent.
• The AI Agent no longer responds to messages.

Fix

• Review assignment rules and escalation workflows.
• Verify whether the conversation has already been transferred to a human agent.
• Refer to How to Escalate AI Agent Chats to Human Agents in Live Chat for additional guidance.

5. Customer Is Outside the Active Chat Session

Although less common in Live Chat, session restrictions can affect channels such as WhatsApp and email.

Symptoms

• The messaging session has expired.
• The AI Agent no longer responds.

Fix

• Re-initiate the conversation if permitted by the channel.
• Use approved templates when required.
• Refer to Agent Guide: Get Started With BoldDesk WhatsApp Messaging.

6. Missing or Incorrect Widget Configuration

Incorrect widget configuration may prevent the AI Agent from functioning properly.

Symptoms

• Ensure the correct widget is deployed on your website.
• Verify that the widget is linked to the intended AI Agent.
• Confirm that all widget configuration changes have been published successfully.

Explore How to Test an AI 2.0 Agent.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why does the AI Agent respond once and then stop?
   This typically occurs due to:

   • Workflow conflicts
   • Session expiration
   • Human-agent takeover

2. Can I switch a chat back to the AI Agent after assigning it to a human agent?
   No. Once a conversation has been escalated to a human agent, that session remains under human control.

3. Why is my AI Agent enabled but still not responding?
   Check the following:

   • Missing data sources
   • Incorrect widget configuration
   • Workflow conflicts
   • Data source visibility restrictions

4. Why does the AI Agent respond in the Playground but not in Live Chat?
   This is commonly caused by:

   • Missing or insufficient content in the configured data sources
   • Knowledge Base visibility restrictions
   • Differences between configured data sources
   • Information that should be configured as Q&A instead of a non-public Knowledge Base article

5. Does the AI Agent work on all pricing plans?
   No. AI add-ons are available only on Momentum (Legacy) and Enterprise plans.

Related Articles

1. How to Test an AI 2.0 Agent
2. Get Started with BoldDesk AI 2.0 Chatbots
3. How to Add Data Sources (Libraries) to AI 2.0 in BoldDesk