Learn how the Conversation AI Workflow Action interacts with contacts, how to configure its prompt and response settings, how Time Out and No Condition Met routing works, and how to test the workflow before publishing it.

The Conversation AI Workflow Action currently documents SMS, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Live Chat as selectable channels. Conversation AI may support additional channels elsewhere in the platform, but broader bot-level channel support does not automatically mean the same channel is available in this workflow action.

The Conversation AI Workflow Action adds an AI-powered conversational step to a workflow. It can send the configured question to a contact, wait for the contact's response, continue the AI exchange based on the action settings, and route the contact through different workflow paths.

The AI can use the configured Personality, Additional Instructions, Question, bot training, and conversation history to provide context-aware responses.

Branches allow the workflow to react differently depending on the contact's reply, while built-in fallback paths handle unanswered conversations and responses that do not meet a configured condition.

Combining AI conversations with workflow routing helps automate qualification, follow-up, and decision-making without requiring every contact response to be handled manually.

• Targeted Outreach: Ask a specific question and wait for the contact to respond before continuing the workflow.
• Multi-Turn AI Conversations: Allow the AI to continue responding within the action up to the configured Bot responses limit.
• Smart Routing: Evaluate contact replies against branches and conditions to determine the next workflow path.
• Prompt-Aware Responses: Use bot configuration, training, instructions, the configured question, and conversation context to guide responses.
• Response Controls: Set timeout, wait time, response limits, and Skip if answered behavior.
• Channel Choice: Run the action through one supported communication channel per action.

Understanding the action lifecycle makes it easier to choose the right timeout, response limit, and branch conditions. The contact remains inside the action while the AI interaction is active and is routed when one of the configured outcomes is reached.

Each setting controls a different part of the conversation lifecycle. Reviewing these options before building branch logic helps prevent unnecessary messages, premature timeouts, and contacts reaching the wrong fallback path.

A successful Conversation AI workflow depends on both the workflow structure and the bot configuration. Confirm the workflow entry point, communication channel, and intended branch outcomes before configuring the action.

• Use the applicable Sub-Account and open Automations → Workflows.
• Create a workflow or open an existing workflow where the AI conversation should occur.
• Configure the workflow trigger that matches your use case. Customer Replied is only one example and is not required for every Conversation AI workflow.
• Confirm that the communication channel you plan to use is available for the workflow and bot configuration.
• Decide what response or intent each custom branch should represent before writing the branch conditions.
• Plan what should happen when the contact does not reply or when none of the custom conditions are met.

Configure the action in stages so the AI receives the right instructions, waits an appropriate amount of time, and routes the contact predictably after the conversation.

Step 1: Open the Workflow

1. Log in to the applicable sub-account.
2. Go to Automations → Workflows.

3. Create a new workflow or open the existing workflow you want to update.

Step 2: Configure the Workflow Entry Point

Add or review the trigger that should place contacts into the workflow. The correct trigger depends on your automation goal. For example, a workflow responding to inbound messages may use Customer Replied and a Reply Channel filter.

Step 3: Add the Conversation AI Action

1. Click the + icon where you want to add the workflow action.
2. Search for Conversation AI.
3. Select the Conversation AI action.
4. Give the action a clear name so its purpose is easy to identify on the workflow canvas.

Step 4: Configure the AI Instructions

Turn on Advanced Bot Configuration when you want this action to override the bot's default conversational instructions.

• Personality: Define the tone and communication style for this action.
• Additional Instructions: Add goals, intent, or specific guidance the AI should follow. When Advanced Bot Configuration is not enabled, the action uses the bot's existing configuration.

In Question, enter the message or question that should begin the interaction. Use custom values when the message needs contact-specific or workflow-specific information.

Step 5: Configure Timeout and Channel

Set Timeout to define how long the action should wait for the contact's reply. Select the appropriate duration in minutes, hours, or days.

Select one Channel for the action. Current documented options are:

• SMS
• Facebook
• Instagram
• WhatsApp
• Live Chat

Step 6: Configure Conversation Controls

Turn on Skip if answered when the action should be bypassed if the question has already been answered manually.

Set Bot responses limit to control the maximum number of AI messages the action can send before using No Condition Met when no custom branch has matched.

Set Wait time in seconds to add a delay before the AI replies. This allows incoming messages to be collected before the next AI response is generated.

Branches turn the AI conversation into workflow logic. Create conditions around the outcomes you care about, then define what should happen for contacts who reply differently or do not reply at all.

Add additional branches and define clear conditions for each intended outcome.

After configuring the settings and branches, click Save Action.

Testing helps confirm that the selected channel works, responses are interpreted correctly, and each branch sends contacts to the expected next step before real contacts enter the automation.

1. Save the Conversation AI action and any other workflow changes.
2. Use Test Workflow to run a test contact through the workflow when appropriate.
3. Test at least one reply that should match each important custom branch.
4. Test the Time Out and No Condition Met paths when practical.
5. Confirm that the AI messages use the expected channel and instructions.
6. Save any final changes.
7. Set the workflow to Publish when you are ready for real contacts to enter it.

Related Articles

•  Workflow Builder Walkthrough 
•  How to Set Up a Conversation AI Bot 
•  Conversation AI: Multiple Messages in One Workflow Action 
•  Primary vs Non-Primary Conversation AI Bots 
•  Conversation AI - Advanced Settings Overview 
•  Workflow Action - AI Decision Maker