Conversation Persistence for Chat Agents

Conversation persistence in the agent chat component allows end users to return to previous conversations and switch between multiple sessions without losing context. Each conversation is stored as a session tied to a specific user and chat agent.

What is conversation persistence?

Conversation persistence stores chat interactions between an end user and a chat agent across sessions. When an end user returns to an interface containing the agent chat component, their previous conversations are available to resume. The chat agent retains the context of prior messages within a session, enabling multi-turn interactions that build on previous exchanges.

Conversation persistence eliminates the need to re-explain context to the chat agent each time a user returns to the interface. End users can pick up where they left off, review past responses, and continue working through complex tasks over multiple sessions.

How conversation sessions work

Each conversation between a user and a chat agent is stored as a session. The agent chat component manages sessions automatically based on the following behavior:

• Session creation: A new session is created when the user sends their first message to the chat agent, or when the user explicitly starts a new conversation.
• Session naming: Session names are based on the first user message in the conversation. The chat agent uses the opening message to generate a descriptive session name.
• Session selection: When a user returns to the interface, the component defaults to the most recent session or creates a new session.
• Session switching: End users can switch between existing sessions using the session picker dropdown. Select a previous conversation from the dropdown to revisit it.
• Session metadata: Each session stores the user, chat agent, and session ID. The component uses this metadata to retrieve and display the correct conversation history.

Conversation persistence considerations

Keep the following considerations in mind when working with conversation persistence in the agent chat component:

• Single-user scope: Conversation sessions are scoped to the original user. Other users cannot view, access, or share another user's conversation sessions.
• No export: Conversation sessions cannot be exported to PDF, Word, or email.
• No clearing history: End users cannot clear their conversation history. Conversations are retained for audit purposes. Users can start a new session at any time.
• Deployment behavior: Conversation sessions are tied to the environment where they were created. Deploying a chat agent to a new environment does not transfer conversation history.

Conversation persistence related resources

• Agent Chat Component: Full component reference for a!agentChatField().
• Add a Chat Agent to an Interface: Step-by-step instructions for embedding a chat agent.
• About AI Agents: Introduction to AI agents in Appian, including agent types.

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