---
title: AI Chat
description: >-
  Use AI Chat in Clear Ideas to ask governed questions against approved
  documents, work across Sites, attach files, apply templates, and save outputs.
ogTitle: AI Chat Documentation
ogDescription: >-
  Learn how to use Clear Ideas AI Chat for cited, permission-aware work over
  approved documents.
ogImage: /assets/images/og/ai-ai-chat.webp
navigation:
  icon: fak fa-comment-ai
---

# AI Chat

AI Chat lets you ask governed questions against approved documents inside Clear Ideas. It is designed for cited answers, permission-aware retrieval, and repeatable work inside the same governed workspace your team already uses for secure collaboration.

## What AI Chat Is Good For

AI Chat is especially useful for:

- finding information across one Site or many Sites
- comparing details across multiple documents
- extracting structured answers, summaries, and tables
- drafting governed work products grounded in approved content

## Scope and Site Context

AI Chat automatically uses the context of where you start the chat:

- start from a Site when the work should stay inside that Site
- start from Home when the task requires cross-Site analysis

This is one of the easiest ways to keep answers grounded in the right approved document set.

## Common Working Patterns

### Choose a model and reasoning effort

Use the model selector in the chat composer to choose **Intelligent** or a specific model, then choose the reasoning effort for the conversation. **Auto** is recommended for most chats because it lets Clear Ideas use the selected model's normal behavior. Use **Low** for faster, simpler work, and **High** or **Extra High** when the answer needs more careful analysis.

AI Chat runs immediately, so it uses concrete model choices rather than workflow-style latest aliases.

### Attach files for a focused task

Use attachments when a specific file should be considered alongside the retrieved Site context.

### Use output templates for repeatable formatting

Prompt templates and markdown output templates help standardize recurring deliverables such as memos, checklists, summaries, and review notes.

See [Prompt Templates](/ai/prompt-templates).

### Save useful outputs back into a Site

When a response becomes part of the governed record of work, save it into the appropriate Site and folder.

### Fork a chat to explore another path

Forking lets you compare alternate lines of reasoning without losing the original conversation.

### Work across multiple Sites

For cross-workspace analysis, start from Home and ask the question there. AI Chat will still respect your permissions.

## Chat History and Records

AI Chat includes conversation history and archive behavior so important work can be reviewed later.

Archived chats remain part of the governed record and can be restored when needed.

See [Governed AI Records](/ai/governed-ai-records).

## Sources and Citations

When AI Chat answers using Site content, the response can include source links back to the underlying documents. This keeps the experience grounded in approved material rather than disconnected from the system of record.

## Web Search

When web search is allowed by your settings and policy, supported chat experiences can supplement approved documents with current public information.

When web search is off, AI Chat stays focused on the governed document set and other allowed internal context.

See [AI Settings](/ai/ai-settings).

## Redacted PDFs

AI Chat respects PDF redaction permissions. When a PDF has a finalized redacted representation, restricted roles retrieve context from the redacted version rather than the original.

See [PDF Redaction](/site-administrator-guide/pdf-redaction) and [Content Indexing](/site-administrator-guide/content-indexing).

## Image Generation in Chat

When you use a supported image-capable model, Clear Ideas can return generated image output directly in chat.

See [Image Generation in Chat](/ai/image-generation-in-chat).

## File Generation in Chat

When you use a skill-capable model, AI Chat can generate governed spreadsheets, documents, and presentations directly in the conversation. Use the skill selector beside the model selector to choose the file helper for the task.

Supported file skills include:

- spreadsheets for `.xlsx` workbooks
- documents for `.docx` files
- presentations for `.pptx` decks

The assistant can create a new file from your prompt or transform attached source files into a new governed output. Source file bytes are inspected by Clear Ideas tooling and sandboxed execution, while the model receives structured file information rather than the raw source bytes.

Generated files appear as downloadable file cards below the assistant response. When available, you can also save the generated file back into a Site or folder.

See [File Generation in Chat and Workflows](/ai/file-generation-in-chat-and-workflows).

## Related Documentation

- [AI Settings](/ai/ai-settings)
- [Models](/ai/models)
- [Prompt Templates](/ai/prompt-templates)
- [Prompt Best Practices](/ai/prompt-best-practices)
- [Governed AI Records](/ai/governed-ai-records)
- [Image Generation in Chat](/ai/image-generation-in-chat)
- [File Generation in Chat and Workflows](/ai/file-generation-in-chat-and-workflows)