This document outlines the proposed user experience for the beta launch of the AI plugin for Mattermost. It will include the following:
Reference Materials
AI Copilot RHS
The best way to access the AI Copilot for general queries is to open it from the new apps bar icon at the top of the apps bar. Clicking here will open a new conversation with the assistant where you can begin asking the bot anything you’d like assistance with.
The underlying foundation of the AI Copilot is the DM with the bot, but it will just be presented differently and will open in the RHS rather than the main center panel.
Benefits of using the Apps bar RHS for this:
Allows for better multi-tasking with the AI bot. The RHS works well for multi-tasking and we anticipate the AI Copilot to be used in this manner often
Offers a consistent way to display the various summarizations and tasks that the assistant can perform
Easy access to always get back to the assistant from anywhere in the app
Immediately displays the streaming responses in the RHS without having to first click into a collapsed thread with CRT. Feels more responsive this way.
Users have a log of historical chats with the assistant.
Default State - New Blank Thread
By default, the AI Copilot RHS opens in a new blank thread view with an introduction and some prompts on how users can get started.
Chat history button
Switches the AI Copilot RHS view to the history view which shows all threads in a list format (similar to the threads inbox view)
New thread button
If you’re already in a new thread without any messages yet, this button is hidden. Once the thread you’re viewing has messages in it, this button then becomes enabled.
Intro and Suggested Prompts
When a new thread is started, a custom welcome intro displays with an illustration, intro text, and suggested prompts.
Clicking on any of the suggested prompts will auto-fill the message input.
Brainstorm ideas will auto-fill the input with “Brainstorm ideas about”.
Meeting agenda will auto-fill the input with “Write a meeting agenda about”
To-do list will auto-fill the input with “Write a todo list about”
Pros and Cons will auto-fill the input with “Write a pros and cons list about”
Message Input
Instead of the standard Reply to this thread, the message input placeholder should show Ask AI Copilot anything.
Active thread with replies and streaming response
Below demonstrates how a thread with AI Copilot with replies displays. The intro content gets pushed out of view as more messages get added. This view is essentially the same view as our thread RHS with the addition of the AI Copilot header and the buttons for chat history/new chat.
Blinking cursor for streaming response
While AI Copilot is streaming a response, there should be a blinking box cursor that displays at the end of the stream. This helps the user know that AI is still working during pauses in the streamed response.
Stop generating button
While a response is streaming, users can stop the stream by pressing ‘Stop generating’. This button is only available while the response is streaming. It’s anchored to the top of the scrolling area and animates away once generation is complete.
Regenerate button
When a stream has stopped, a ‘regenerate' button replaces the ‘stop generating’ button. This button should only be available on the most recent response from the assistant.
When this button is pressed, the message is replaced with a new streaming response.
Thumbs-up/down feedback buttons
Since we aren’t yet doing much with the feedback these buttons provide , we will be cutting this from the v1.0 scope.
Chat History View
The chat history view behaves just like the threads inbox view with a few key differences outlined below.
This view leverages the Thread Item component from the Threads List.
Thread list items don’t display the author
This would be repetitive information (since it’s either you or the assistant initiating the conversation), so we’ve proposed replacing the author’s name with an automated title for the thread.
Thread participants are hidden
The thread participants are not useful in this context because it will always be the same participants for every thread, so they have been removed/hidden.
Automated titles for threads
Ideally, we could leverage AI to give each thread a title based on the content and questions asked.
New thread button
While viewing the chat history, the ‘new thread’ button is always available and enabled to start a new chat with the bot.
Clicking a thread item in the list
Users can click anywhere on an item in the list which will then take them to the full thread view.
Summarize threads
One of the key features of the AI Plugin is the ability to provide a summaries for threads. This is done by one of the following:
Hover over any root post in a channel, click the ✨ icon and choose ‘Summarize thread’ from the menu
Note: if it’s a root post that doesn’t have replies yet, the menu item should read ‘Summarize message’
Hover over any reply within a thread, click the ✨ icon and choose ‘Summarize thread’ from the menu
Note: when choosing this option from a reply, the entire thread will be summarized, not just the single reply
As a way to set expectations for users, a note appears at the bottom of the AI tools menu stating “AI Copilot posts responses in the right panel which will only be visible to you.”
This will then open up the AI Copilot RHS view with a new thread started. An initial post including a permalink to the original thread is posted in the thread and then a streaming response starts as a separate reply in the same thread.
Summarize new messages in a channel
When the new messages line is present in a channel that has unread threads/messages, a new button is available with the AI plugin that can summarize the new messages.
When one of the options is chosen from this menu, the AI Copilot RHS is opened with the response. A link to the original channel is included in the response.
Summarize Calls plugin recordings
NOTE: Implementation differs as calls implemented transcripts
This function provides the ability to take audio or video files and process the conversations into a summarized response with formatting. This option should only be available for posts with audio or video attachments.
Create meeting summary button (Calls plugin recordings only)
Enterprise license required is to generate calls recordings
For recordings posted from the Calls plugin, a new Create meeting sumamry button is placed under the recording attachment (or the transcript file if available).
Clicking this button will open the AI Copilot RHS view with an initial post that includes a permalink to the original message that has the recording. A second message in the same thread is then streamed with the response.
Initially, we may need a “Processing audio. This may take a little time” message that would then get replaced with the streaming response when ready (see below screenshot).
Note: once calls transcription is available, this process should be much faster/better. The AI bot will be able to use the transcript file as the source instead of the audio/video file.
Processing time
The AI Copilot may take some time to process audio, so there should be a streamed post with a blinking cursor for the duration of the wait time.
Summarize audio/video files
In addition to summarizing Calls plugin recordings, users can also get summaries for any file that has audio content by:
Hover over any audio/video file attachment in a channel or thread
Click the ••• icon button to open the menu
Select ‘Summarize recording’
Clicking this button will open the AI Copilot RHS view with an initial post that includes a permalink to the original message that has the recording. A second message in the same thread is then streamed with the summary.
This will need a Processing audio. This may take a little time… message which would then get replaced with the streaming response when ready.
Mention the AI bot in channels or threads
Users can also include the AI bot in conversations with others. In cases where you may want AI to respond along with your colleagues in a thread or channel, you can mention @ai and ask questions in that context. The bot will stream responses visible to all who are members of the channel or participants of the thread.
Regular DMs with the AI bot
You can also interact with the AI bot like any other bot DM conversation.
System Console Settings
See the System Console Plugin Settings page for details on how the plugin can be configured.
Displaying the AI Service for end-users
End users can see the AI service being used in the profile popover.
Beta labels
For the initial release (0.6), BETA labels will be added in the system console config page and the AI Copilot RHS.
