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Guides > Virtual Agent and Azure AI Search

Virtual Agent and Azure AI Search

In this guide we will cover:

- Connecting to Azure

- Using AI Search

- Virtual Agents



Halo can be integrated with Azure AI Search for Knowledge Searching. The Azure AI Search integration allows you to create a search index for Knowledge Base articles and Services to perform AI similarity-matching searches.


Connecting to Azure

This can be configured from Configuration > AI > AI Knowledge Search, and choosing Vector search database as Azure AI Search.


Fig 1. Choosing a connection and minimum vectors.


The endpoint and API key of your Azure AI Search instance are all that is required to configure the connection.


Fig 2. Configuring the connection.


Using AI Search

Once configured, the indexing of all articles and services currently in the database can be scheduled. When articles and services are created, edited or deleted, the search indexes in Azure AI Search are automatically updated with the embeddings in the background.


The search screen then allows you to do an AI search using the AI button in the search bar. When active, all filters are cancelled and search as you type is disabled, and the search becomes text only. An embedding is created for the search term, and an AI similarity search is run in Azure AI Search. The match score is also shown in the results.


Fig 3. AI Search button.


Virtual Agents

The main use case for this functionality is the Virtual Agent feature, which uses Azure AI Search to search existing metadata to provide answers. Virtual Agents can be used without Azure AI Search, although that will result in searches being based on lexical search rather than semantic search.


"Virtual Agents" can be configured in Configuration > AI > Virtual Agents, or Configuration > Chat > Virtual Agents. These currently integrate with Open AI and Azure OpenAI Assistants.


Fig 4. Live chat configuration.


Creating a new Virtual Agent will create a new Assistant in OpenAI and create the functions implemented in Halo. A built-in Virtual Agent is provided out of the box for hosted customers.


Fig 5. Built-in agent.


Plug a Virtual Agent into a Chat flow, and the chat conversation will stay on the same step but alternate between the Virtual Agent and user.


Additional instructions can also be provided at step level. This allows you to provide some additional context if you are using the generic out-of-the-box Virtual Agent, or provide additional step-specific information.


Fig 6. First step of a flow.


The following functions are currently implemented:


  • Knowledge search - the agent will search the knowledge base using Azure AI Search, and receive the descriptions and resolutions of matched articles, and formulate a response based on the results where appropriate
  • Service search - the agent will search services using Azure AI Search, and receive the names and links to any matched services, and direct the user to the service where appropriate
  • Log an incident - the agent will log a ticket for the user once it knows the user's information and details of an issue
  • Check my tickets - the agent will provide the user information about their open tickets when requested, or a specific open ticket
  • Update a ticket - the agent will add an update to one of the user's tickets when requested
  • Speak to an agent - the agent will begin a transfer to a human agent
  • End chat - the agent will end the chat

Custom functions can also be implemented to escape the Virtual Agent conversation step and move to a different step of the chat flow. The outcomes can be configured at chat flow step level - include instructions about when to call the custom function and the parameter name, and the agent will execute the function when those conditions are met.


Fig 7. Custom functions.


For example, you can set a custom function called PASSWORD_RESET, that moves the chat flow onto a step that logs a password reset service request and then moves back to the Virtual Agent conversation, by adding a Custom function and telling the agent in the additional instructions "if you determine that the user wishes to log a password reset request, call "custom_function" with function_name="PASSWORD_RESET".

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