AI Agent tool - knowledge articles retrieval inconsistency

[paulinakot]

I seem to have an issue with the search retrieval tool, namely the 'Get relevant knowledge articles'.

The AI agent sometimes find the answer perfectly to a query, and in the next moment it says XYZ information is not provided in the knowledge. Do you have any suggestions, best practices for that, which search profile to use? Or maybe a different tool would be better?

I use Human Resources Knowledge Base, and this inconsistency occurs in VA, when an employee talks to a called AI Agent. 

[vaishali231]

hey @paulinakot 

This behavior is commonly observed when using “Get relevant knowledge articles” with Virtual Agent / AI Agent, and in most cases it’s related to search configuration and content structure rather than a platform issue.

 What’s likely happening

• Search profile variability – If multiple sources are configured or the HR Knowledge Base is not strongly prioritized, the ranking of results can differ between executions.
• Content not optimized for AI retrieval – Articles without clear keywords or question-based structure are harder for the AI to match consistently.
• Access control filtering – User Criteria on the HR Knowledge Base may exclude articles dynamically depending on the user context.
• Search/index timing – Recently updated articles may not be fully indexed, leading to inconsistent retrieval.
• Semantic interpretation differences – The AI layer may interpret slightly different phrasing as different intents.

Approach

1 .  Use a dedicated Search Profile

Navigate to AI Search - Search Profiles

Create a profile specific to HR use cases

Include only the required sources (e.g., HR Knowledge Base)

Ensure this profile is referenced in your VA topic / AI Agent configuration

2 .  Improve article structure

Use question-based headings (e.g., “How many sick leaves are allowed?”)

Provide a clear, concise answer at the top

Include common employee search terms within the content

3.   Configure Synonyms

Navigate to AI Search - Synonyms

Add variations (e.g., leave = PTO, vacation; payslip = salary slip)

4.   Validate User Criteria

Confirm that the test user consistently has access to the HR Knowledge Base and articles

5.    Prefer Answer Generation (if available)

Instead of only retrieving articles, use Now Assist – Answer Generation

This helps generate stable responses from multiple sources rather than relying on a single match

6.   Add fallback handling in VA

If no articles are returned, guide the user with a fallback message or escalation path 

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Regards

Vaishali Singh

[vaishali231]

hey @paulinakot 

Hope you are doing well.

Did my previous reply answer your question?

If it was helpful, please mark it as correct ✓ and close the thread . This will help other readers find the solution more easily.

Regards,
Vaishali Singh