# Plans to merge Global Search with Discourse AI for a Chat-based UI?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/plans-to-merge-global-search-with-discourse-ai-for-a-chat-based-ui/393653
**Category:** UX
**Tags:** ai, ai-search
**Created:** [16 בינואר, 2026, 9:19am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plans-to-merge-global-search-with-discourse-ai-for-a-chat-based-ui/393653 "2026-01-16T09:19:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@thaidb](https://meta.discourse.org/u/thaidb)
#### Post date: [16 בינואר, 2026, 9:19am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plans-to-merge-global-search-with-discourse-ai-for-a-chat-based-ui/393653/1 "2026-01-16T09:19:59Z")
Hi team,
Is there a plan to eventually combine the standard search bar and Discourse AI into a single AI-driven chat interface?
Also, are there any updates on displaying sources/citations from forum topics in a more integrated way, similar to how **NotebookLM** handles document sources?
To provide context on why this is critical, we are currently developing a high-value use case that requires Discourse to function as an **Expert AI Consulting Hub** (accessible via `Chat.Domain-Discourse.com`). Here is our vision:
#### 1. Integration with Structured Business Data (RAG + CRM)
We aim to connect Discourse AI with our specialized Real Estate CRM (`crm.Domain-Discourse.com`). This would allow the AI to provide real-time, analytical answers based on:
- **Live Listings:** Real-time data updated by agents (property details, owner information).
- **Project Progress:** Updates on real estate developments.
- **Infrastructure Intelligence:** Analyzing neighborhood data regarding commerce, utilities, traffic, education, and healthcare.
#### 2. Expert-Led Training (The “Human-in-the-loop” Model)
Our AI is not just a general LLM; it is being trained by a network of **200+ real estate experts** specializing in market analysis and commercial property.
- These experts bring successful case studies, high-level certifications, and years of experience.
- They are preparing curated scripts and historical consulting scenarios to refine the AI’s logic.
#### 3. Monetization & Professional Advisory
This is a **paid consulting service**. Our users are not just “searching for keywords”; they are paying for a professional advisory experience.
#### Why a Unified Chat UI is Essential:
A standard search bar is designed for “finding information,” whereas our model requires **“consulting.”**
- **Complex Reasoning:** Users ask deep questions about market trends that require multi-turn conversations.
- **Source Transparency:** For paid advice, users must see exactly which CRM data point or expert-written topic the answer is derived from (the “NotebookLM” experience).
**Questions for the developers:**
1. Is the roadmap leaning towards supporting these types of deep integrations (CRM/External APIs) within a unified Chat UI?
2. Are there plans to allow the AI to link directly to structured data or specific expert-curated topics as “Primary Sources”?
I believe this evolution would transform Discourse from a traditional forum into a powerful, interactive knowledge base for professional industries.
Looking forward to your thoughts!
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@awesomerobot](https://meta.discourse.org/u/awesomerobot)
#### Post date: [16 בינואר, 2026, 2:13pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/plans-to-merge-global-search-with-discourse-ai-for-a-chat-based-ui/393653/2 "2026-01-16T14:13:53Z")
> [@thaidb](#):
>
> Is there a plan to eventually combine the standard search bar and Discourse AI into a single AI-driven chat interface?
There’s not currently a plan, but we do have a number of search-related AI features… so it’s interesting to consider. Current tools include:
- Personas like Forum Researcher, which can search using retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). This is from the AI Bot link to [https://meta.discourse.org/discourse-ai/ai-bot/conversations](https://meta.discourse.org/discourse-ai/ai-bot/conversations) and can also be used in Discourse chat.
- AI embeddings semantic search, these are search results that appear on full-page /search
- AI embeddings quick search, which is used to populate results in the search dropdown. This is especially useful for populating results in searches that would otherwise produce 0 results, like typos.
- Discobot Discoveries, which is additional sidebar content to searches in both the dropdown and full page
There are some tradeoffs with AI-first approaches, traditional search is still a good amount faster than RAG… but perhaps in cases like yours that’s ok and the search bar could be swapped out for an input that directly populates a query for the AI conversation page or a bot chat? Something like that would be possible to do from a theme component.