Viewing search results in AI Search

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Viewing Search Results in AI Search

    This guide provides an overview of the components used in AI Search to display results for search queries within ServiceNow, specifically in the Service Portal context. Understanding these elements enhances user interaction and helps refine search outcomes effectively.

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    Key Features

    • Search Input Field: Displays the current search query, allowing users to modify and refine their search.
    • Genius Result Answer Cards: Showcases the best answers with actions. If AI Search is still processing, regular results will appear first with an indication of ongoing computation.
    • Source Facet Buckets: Provides static filters for narrowing down results based on search sources, with options to select or clear sources.
    • Facet Filters: Allows dynamic filtering by specific field values, including precomputed date ranges, enhancing the relevance of displayed results.
    • Search Results: Lists results with icons, summaries, and text snippets. Customization options are available for displaying different field values and attachments.
    • Search Result Sort Order: By default, results are sorted by relevance, but users can choose alternative sort options when available.
    • Auto-Correction Message: Indicates when a search term has been auto-corrected, allowing users to revert to the original term if desired.

    Key Outcomes

    Utilizing these features effectively enables ServiceNow customers to refine their searches, enhance result relevance, and navigate through results more efficiently. The structured layout ensures users can easily interact with the search interface, leading to improved productivity and user satisfaction. Understanding these components allows for better customization and utilization of AI Search, optimizing the search experience within the ServiceNow environment.

    Learn about the components that AI Search uses to display results for search queries.

    Search result page elements

    The layout and appearance of AI Search UI elements varies from application to application. This example shows the elements as they might appear on a Service Portal search results page.

    Figure 1. Sample search result page
    Sample search result page displaying developer laptop search query results.
    Table 1. Search result page elements
    Element Description
    1. Search input field Displays the search query that produced the listed search results. You can modify this search query and search again to view different results.
    2. Genius Result answer cards Display the best answers for your search query along with actions you can take directly from each card.
    Note:
    Genius Result answer cards may not appear for all search queries.

    You may see your regular search results appear before AI Search finishes computing Genius Result answers for your search. An animated message lets you know if Genius Result answer computation is still ongoing when your regular search results appear.

    When a search returns multiple Genius Result answers, the answer cards display in a carousel. You can scroll the carousel and select the answer card you want to take action from.

    To provide feedback relating to a Genius Result answer, select one of its Was this suggestion helpful? links. If the answer is relevant to your search, select Yes; otherwise, select No.
    3. Source facet buckets Displays static filter options for refining search results by search source.

    If you want to view only results from a single search source, select the option for that search source. To remove the filter, clear the search source option.

    Source names in source facet buckets display as options instead of links, and include a label showing how multiple selections are applied when filtering your search results. Labels include:
    • Contains all selected: Displays only search results that include all of the selected sources. This label indicates the Multi Select And facet type.
    • Contains any selected: Displays search results that include any one of the selected sources. This label indicates the Multi Select Or facet type.
    4. Facet filters Displays dynamic filter options for refining search results by field value.

    To expand or collapse a facet, select the + (plus) or - (minus) symbol by its name.

    To view only search results that contain a specific field value, select the field value option in the facet. Clear the field value option to remove the facet filter.
    Note:
    When faceting on a date field, the facet options are precomputed date ranges, such as Past 3 months, rather than exact date field values. Selecting an option displays only results that have date field values in the specified range. You can select and clear these date range options in the same way that you select and clear field value options for non-date facets.
    Some facets allow you to select multiple field values. Field values in multi select facets display as options instead of links, and include a label showing how multiple selections are applied when filtering your search results. Labels include:
    • Contains all selected: Displays only search results that include all of the selected field values. This label indicates the Multi Select And facet type.
    • Contains any selected: Displays search results that include any one of the selected field values. This label indicates the Multi Select Or facet type.

    If your facet filter cannot be applied to search results from the source facet bucket you've selected, AI Search ignores the facet filter.
    5. Search results Displays the icon, summary field values, title, and text snippet for each search result. Select a result to view its source record in a new browser tab, preserving the state of your search in the current tab.

    The display settings for search results may be customized by modifying their EVAM properties. As an example, search results for Service Catalog items might be customized to display item images along with icons and field values. To learn about customizing search result display settings, see Configure EVAM display settings for search results in AI Search applications.

    Search results for attachments may be displayed separately or may appear grouped with their parent search results. Each grouped attachment displays an icon indicating the attachment file type. For more details on how grouped attachments appear in the search results list, see Group attachment search results with their parent results.
    Note:
    When you select an attachment search result, the system may display the attachment in a new browser tab or may prompt you to download the attachment.
    6. Search result sort order Displays the currently selected sort order for search results.
    By default, AI Search displays the most relevant results first. To apply an alternative sort order, open this list and select one of the available search result sort options.
    Note:
    If no search result sort options are available, the sort menu doesn't display and results are automatically sorted by relevance.

    Auto-correction message

    When AI Search auto-corrects a misspelled search query term, a Showing results for <corrected_term> message appears above the search results list.


    Sample auto-correction message showing replacement of search query term emial with email.
    Table 2. Auto-correction message elements
    Element Description
    1. Typo handling auto-correction message and link to original search term Displays the auto-corrected query term used for the search.

    To repeat the search using your original search query term, select the link in the Search instead for <original_term> line of the message.