AI Assistant

The section contains the following topics:

Overview

The Cisco AI Assistant is designed to optimize network management: reference documentation when needed, provide network insights, expediting troubleshooting, and empowering IT productivity. By leveraging AI-powered intelligence, recommendations, and insights, the AI Assistant helps streamline routine network operations, freeing up valuable time for more strategic work and innovation.

The Cisco AI Assistant is focused on enhancing three critical areas of network management:

  • Documentation Reference - Answering questions about Cisco Business Dashboard and Cisco small business network devices, including Catalyst 1200/1300 series Switch, Cisco Business 250/350 Series Switch and Cisco Business 100/200 Series Access Points, and more.

  • Network Insight - Gaining deeper visibility into network health and user experience with instant intelligence and summarized network data.

  • Troubleshooting – Identifying anomalies and resolving network issues quickly to minimize downtime and help prevent major outages.


Note

At the time of CBD 2.10.1 release, only Documentation Reference feature is available. Network Insight and Troubleshooting features will soon be available, please stay tuned as we continue to evolve the Cisco AI Assistant, there's a lot more to come!

Prerequisites

Customers need to ensure they have met the following prerequisites to use the AI Assistant:

  1. Both your browser and Cisco Business Dashboard server must have internet access. Otherwise, the AI Assistant icon won’t appear.

  2. You must have a Cisco Account to use the AI Assistant. Please refer to https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/account.html for how to register a Cisco.com account.

Onboarding First-Time User

After opening the AI Assistant for the first time, a carousel window opens and you are introduced to the AI Assistant. You are presented with information on how the AI Assistant protects the privacy of your data, and a few tips on how to best use it.

In the carousel window, Click Next to the learn how the AI Assistant works with your data. We recommend that you read through this to understand how the AI Assistant treats your data and strives for transparency.

Clicking Launch AI Assistant opens the AI Assistant in a floating conversation window; You can select a response from one of our suggestion tiles or type in a question in the text box.

Cisco AI Assistant Components

The Cisco AI Assistant is engineered with user-friendly components.

  • Text Input Box -At the bottom of the window, you have a text input box that allows you to type and engage with the AI Assistant.

  • New Thread - Click the edit icon to start a new conversation with the AI Assistant

  • Chat History - Expand the menu tray on the left side of the screen to see your chat history.

  • Feedback - The AI Assistant has an option to provide feedback for its responses. Click thumbs up to show appreciation or thumbs down to let the assistant know that it can do better.

  • Logged-in User - Display the Cisco.com account user’s name and provide logout option.

  • Change View -Click on the view icon on the top right to open the AI Assistant in one of the 3 views: floating window, docked view or full screen view.

Guidelines for Crafting Effective Prompts

A prompt is a question or any text input that you provide to the Cisco AI Assistant to initiate a conversation or request information. Essentially, it's the question you pose to the AI Assistant. The way you format and construct your prompt plays a crucial role in determining the response from the AI Assistant.

Key Components of a Prompt

  • Clarity: Be clear and specific about what you're asking for.

  • Context: Provide necessary background information.

  • Purpose: State what you want to achieve with your prompt.

By providing precise input and context, you significantly increase the chances of receiving a targeted, relevant, and useful answer from the AI Assistant.

  • Be Specific and provide context: Draft your prompt with relevant information, use the correct device models, device names, etc. that could help the AI Assistant understand your request better.

  • Use Proper Syntax: While AI Assistantcan understand colloquial language, clear and grammatically correct sentences can improve response accuracy.

  • Clarify the Desired Output: If you have a preference for the response format (e.g., a list, a detailed explanation, tables), mention it.

  • Correction and Feedback: If the response doesn't meet your expectations, you can provide feedback or ask for clarification within your next interaction.

  • Direct Naming Requests: Use the phrase "give me only the names" to instruct the AI Assistant to provide solely names in its response. For example, if a user wants to know the names of devices without additional details, they can use the phrase 'give me only the names of devices' to instruct the AI Assistant to provide solely the names in its response.

  • Sequential Questioning: For multiple inquiries, pose them as separate, follow-up questions to enhance clarity and context, rather than combining them into a single complex .

  • Explicit Multi-Attribute Queries:Clearly state "Both" or "all of the following" when seeking multiple attributes; otherwise, the AI Assistant might select an attribute at random to respond to.