Search Preview UI for AI Search

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated September 19, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read

    • The Search Preview UI enables you to test AI Search queries using settings from a selected search application configuration. Administrator tools help you review search query performance data and feedback, debug queries, and override default query settings for testing purposes.

    Note:
    The new Search Preview UI feature is included with AI Search. It replaces the legacy Search Preview UI that's included with Advanced AI Search Management Tools. The new version includes all of the same functionality as the legacy version, with a revised and cleaner interface.

    Access the new Search Preview UI by navigating to AI Search > Preview > Search Preview (New).

    Required ServiceNow AI Platform® roles

    • The ais_admin role is required to view and use the Search Preview UI.
    • The impersonator role is required for some AI Search administrator tools.
    • The ais_high_security_admin role is required to bypass search source and content security filtering. For details on this procedure, see Diagnose search result access issues using the Search Preview UI.

    Search Preview UI components

    Figure 1. Search Preview UI
    Sample Search Preview UI screen displaying sales laptop search query results.
    Table 1. Search Preview UI components
    Component Description
    1. Search application configuration list

    Select the search application configuration that you want to apply when previewing search queries.

    The list includes all available search application configurations.
    2. Search input field

    Enter search query terms and operators in this field. To preview the query's results using settings from the selected search application configuration, press Enter or select the Submit search icon . To clear the search input field, select the Clear search term icon .

    For details on search query syntax and operators, see AI Search query language.

    This field displays auto-complete suggestions from your selected search application configuration.
    3. Debug AI Search icon

    Select this icon to enable session debugging for AI Search and launch the Script Debugger in a new browser tab.

    To learn about session debugging and using the Script Debugger, see Enable session debugging for AI Search and Script Debugger and Session Log.
    4. Genius Result answers Review the Genius Result answers the search query produces when executed with the selected search application configuration.
    Note:
    Genius Result answers may not appear for all search queries. If multiple Genius Result answers are produced for the search query, they appear in a carousel, with the currently selected answer displayed.
    5. AI Search administrator tools
    Select the icon for the administrator tool that you want to use:
    Data
    View summary information on the search query's triggered result improvement rules, matched NLU model intents, and processing time.
    Alert
    Review alert feedback messages produced during processing of the search query.
    Feedback
    Review dictionary and query feedback messages and NLU model intent data for the search query.
    Context
    Specify user context values for the search query to trigger result improvement rules.
    User
    Set the search query's user or locale to test user access to results or view translated documents.

    For more details on each administrator tool's output, controls, and fields, see Search Preview admin tools.
    6. Filters

    View facet filters applicable to your current search results. To filter the query results, select a facet bucket. To remove the filter, clear the facet bucket selection, select Clear at the facet level, or select Clear all.

    You can hide the filter list by selecting Hide filters and display it again by selecting Show filters.

    The filter list displays facet filters for the facets defined in your selected search application configuration.

    To learn more about facet filters, see Create a facet in an AI Search application configuration.
    7. Search query results

    View the results the search query produces when executed with the selected search application configuration. To page through results, select Next or Previous. Use the Sort search results list to choose a sort order for the displayed search results.

    Select an option from the View list to control how search results are displayed:
    • Result cards: Display search results using EVAM result cards, as they appear in search portals and applications.
    • Raw output: Display the search response as a JSON document. Individual search results appear in this document as objects in the searchResults array.
    • Result cards with details: Display search results using EVAM cards, with a text box for each result showing key details like its relevancy score, language, source table, and source record system_id.