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Chats with the research assistant

In short: Each project has a Research Assistants tab where your chats with the AI research assistant live. Click New chat (the + next to Chats) to start one, or click Chat about this on a publication, map node, cluster or map to start a chat about that item. Your chats are private to you, even in a shared project.

Start a chat in the Research Assistants tab​

  1. Open a project and click the Research Assistants tab. It's the chat icon near the right end of the tab bar.
  2. In the left sidebar, click New chat (the + next to Chats).
  3. Type your question in the message box at the bottom.
  4. Optional: pick an assistant and a reply language with the two buttons next to the message box. See Assistants and credits and Mentions and reply language.
  5. Press Enter to send. Press Shift + Enter for a new line.

The chat is saved when you send the first message. While the assistant works, you see "Assistant name is thinking". The reply appears in one piece when it's ready.

Start a chat about something specific​

You can start a chat from the item you're looking at. The assistant then knows what the chat is about.

WhereClick
Library: publication detailsChat about this
Library: a publication's ⋯ menuChat about this
Map: a selected node or edgeChat about this … (for example Chat about this Author)
Map: a selected clusterChat about this … (for example Chat about this topic)
Map: the map overviewChat with this map
Map: right-click a nodeChat
Map: a publication windowChat about this

These chats open in a side panel next to the item, so you can keep looking at it. If the item already has a chat, the button says Continue chat instead. To move the chat to the full Research Assistants tab, click Open in Assistant at the top of the panel.

A chat that is about an item shows the item's name with a link icon at the top of the chat and in the chat list. Click the name to go back to the item.

To add more publications or files to a chat, see Attachments and what the assistant sees.

Find, rename and delete chats​

  • Find a chat: type in Search chats... above the chat list.
  • Rename a chat: click the chat's name at the top of the open chat, type a new name, then press Enter or click elsewhere.
  • Delete a chat: open it and click the bin icon (Delete this chat) at the top right. In the "Delete this chat?" dialog, click Delete chat. This deletes every message in it and can't be undone.
  • Delete one message: hover over the message, click More (⋯), then Delete message. A "Message deleted." notice offers Undo for one minute.

Save an answer as evidence​

Hover over an assistant reply and click RIF it (the target icon). This opens the Add to Research in Formation dialog, where you add the reply to a research object as evidence. See Research in Formation.

The side panel: About and Members​

Click the people icon (Toggle members & publications) at the top right of an open chat.

  • About lists what the chat is about and what the assistant can read for each item: full text or only the abstract, and which of your notes. See Attachments and what the assistant sees.
  • Members lists the assistant and you.

Who can see your chats​

Chats belong to the person who started them. Other project members, including Editors, don't see your chats. For a chat outside any project, use Quick Chat.

Tips​

  • Start a new chat when you change topic. Each turn includes the conversation so far, so long chats cost more credits per message.
  • Check what the assistant tells you. Its answers can be wrong, including invented citations. It doesn't give professional advice.

Troubleshooting​

  • "Could not reach the assistant. Your message was not sent." SciNodes couldn't connect. Check your internet connection and send the message again.
  • "The assistant could not reply (number). Your message was not sent." Something went wrong on the server. Wait a moment and send again. If it keeps happening, contact Support.
  • "Weekly complex compute budget spent. Resumes day at 00:00 UTC." Your weekly AI credits are used up. Chats work again after the reset. See Credits and usage.
  • "Chats are unavailable" The chat list couldn't load. Reload the page.
  • "Could not delete that chat." Try again. If it fails again, reload the page and retry.

FAQ​

Can my collaborators read my chats?​

No. Chats are private to the person who started them, even in a shared project.

Can I edit a message I already sent?​

There's no edit option. Delete the message (you can undo for one minute) and send a corrected one.

Why did a later message cost more credits than the first one?​

Each new message sends the conversation so far to the assistant. Late messages in a long chat cost the most. Start a fresh chat for a new topic.

Where do chats I start from a map or the Library go?​

They're saved in the project's chat list in the Research Assistants tab, like any other chat. Clicking Chat about this on the same item again reopens it with Continue chat.