## Overview

ConversaLabs offers two ways to automate replies intelligently:

- **Support bots**: bots connected to an inbox that handle the conversation first, answer structured
  questions, and hand off to a human when needed.
- **Captain**: the platform's AI layer. Captain **assistants** answer based on your knowledge
  (documents and responses), and the **copilot** helps agents draft replies and resolve faster.

Together, they reduce the volume reaching agents and improve the consistency and speed of support.

## Prerequisites

- The **Captain** and/or **bots** capability enabled for your account (optional, enabled by
  plan/flag). If it isn't in the menu, talk to an administrator.
- Admin permission to configure assistants, the knowledge base, and bots.
- A connected inbox where the AI will operate.
- Content to feed the knowledge: documents, help pages, or question/answer pairs.

## Step by step

1. Open the **Captain** area and create an **assistant**.
2. Feed the assistant's knowledge:
   - add **documents** (or sync pages) for the AI to consult;
   - register **responses** (question-and-answer pairs) for frequent questions.
3. Define the assistant's behavior (tone, scope, and when to **hand off to a human**).
4. Connect the assistant/bot to the desired **inbox**.
5. Enable the **copilot** so agents get suggestions inside the conversation.
6. Test with real questions and tune the knowledge based on the answers.

## Settings & options

- **Assistants**: the AI's "personality" and scope; each assistant can serve specific inboxes.
- **Documents**: the knowledge base the AI uses to answer; these can be synced from pages.
- **Responses**: question/answer pairs that reinforce frequent questions and standardize messages.
- **Copilot**: an assistant for the **agent** — it suggests replies and summarizes the conversation
  inside the workspace.
- **Handoff to a human**: define when the AI should transfer the conversation to an agent.

## Use cases

- **First-line support**: the assistant answers common questions 24/7 and only escalates what's needed.
- **Qualification**: the bot collects initial information before passing the contact to a rep.
- **Agent support**: the copilot suggests the reply from your knowledge, speeding up handling.
- **Consistency**: standardized responses prevent inconsistencies between agents.

## Tips, limits & best practices

- AI quality depends on the **knowledge**: keep documents and responses up to date.
- Always offer a clear path to **talk to a human**.
- Start with a narrow scope (a few topics) and expand as you gain confidence in the answers.
- Periodically review conversations where the AI acted to spot knowledge gaps.
- Bot vs. Flow Builder: use **bot/Captain** for knowledge-based replies (natural language); use the
  **Flow Builder** for structured dialogues with steps and integrations.

## Troubleshooting

- **The AI didn't reply**: confirm the assistant/bot is active and connected to the right inbox.
- **Inaccurate answers**: the knowledge may be incomplete or outdated — add documents and responses and
  refine the scope.
- **The conversation wasn't handed off**: review the handoff-to-human rule.
- **I don't see Captain**: the capability may not be enabled for the account or your access role.

## See also

- [Automation & Flows overview](/hc/ajuda/articles/automation-flows-overview-en)
- [Flow Builder: visual conversational flows](/hc/ajuda/articles/automation-flows-flow-builder-en)
- [Automation rules: triggers, conditions, and actions](/hc/ajuda/articles/automation-flows-regras-de-automacao-en)
- [Smart Routing](/hc/ajuda/articles/automation-flows-smart-routing-en)