by Anne Hatinen
Quick Summary
Effective September 1, 2026, AI-Assisted Search and Ask This Document (AI Ask) beta will transition from opt-in to opt-out across applicable researcher interfaces, including EBSCOhost and EBSCO Discovery Service.
from EBSCO:
Effective September 1, 2026, AI-Assisted Search and Ask This Document (AI Ask) beta will transition from opt-in to opt-out across applicable researcher interfaces, including EBSCOhost and EBSCO Discovery Service.
Libraries will continue to have full administrative control through EBSCO Experience Manager (EEM), and any existing customizations or decisions to disable these features will remain unchanged.
This change reflects customer feedback and usage showing that these features can help researchers more easily discover and use trusted, library-provided content.
Below are responses to frequently asked questions. More information about AI-Assisted Search and Ask This Document (AI Ask) beta, is available on EBSCO Connect. If you have additional questions, please contact Customer Support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I opt out before the September 1, 2026 change?
Yes, in EEM set the applicable feature to Hide. AI-Assisted Search and AI Ask are controlled independently, so both must be set to Hide to opt out of both features. Click here for detailed instructions.
Will AI-Assisted Search be set as the default search mode on September 1st?
No. The change makes the AI-Assisted Search toggle visible, but it will not be selected by default. Users must select the toggle to use AI-Assisted Search unless a library administrator chooses to make it the default search mode.
Does this change apply to interfaces such as Explora, Business Searching, and Reference Source?
Yes. The change applies to all interfaces where AI-Assisted Search and Ask This Document (AI Ask) are available.
