Chat & Assistants FAQ
Common questions about chatting with the AI, choosing assistants, thinking modes, attachments, and what the AI can and can't do on its own.
What is the difference between assistants?
Each assistant has its own knowledge access and area of focus. Arketic AI is the general-purpose assistant and is a good starting point for most questions. Others are domain-specific (for example HR, IT, or Legal) and are tuned for that kind of work.
You pick which assistant to use for a chat, so you can match the assistant to the task. See Using Assistants.
Some assistants are restricted. If you don't see one you expect, it may not be available to your role — ask your administrator.
What are thinking modes?
Thinking modes control how deeply the AI works through your question. There are four:
| Mode | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Auto | The default. The AI decides how much thinking each question needs. Good for everyday use. |
| Fast | Quick, direct answers when you don't need deep analysis. |
| Deep | More thorough reasoning for complex or multi-step questions. |
| Ultra | The most thorough analysis for the hardest questions. |
You change the mode with the brain icon next to the message box. It stays grey on Auto and turns purple when you pick Fast, Deep, or Ultra. Tap it to open a short menu and choose a mode.
See Thinking Modes.
Can the AI make mistakes?
Yes. AI answers can be wrong or incomplete, so always verify anything important before acting on it. For complex or high-stakes questions, switch to Deep or Ultra mode for more thorough analysis.
On harder questions you'll see a collapsible Thinking… bar that changes to Thought for X seconds when the AI finishes. You can expand it to follow how the AI reached its answer.
Can I change how the AI responds to me?
Yes. In Settings → AI Preferences you can set your Response Style:
| Style | What it does |
|---|---|
| Concise | Shorter, to-the-point answers. |
| Detailed | Fuller answers with more explanation. |
This applies to your own chats across the product.
For regular users, the Settings item in the sidebar may show a Soon label. See Account & Access for more about reaching your settings.
What files can I attach to a chat?
You can attach common document and image types, including PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, text, CSV, Markdown, and images. You can also attach audio files in chat.
The maximum file size is set by your administrator. For full details on files and formats, see the Documents FAQ.
Files you attach in a chat stay with that conversation. They are not added to your My Documents — that's a separate personal storage area.
Can the AI read images and audio I attach?
Yes. The AI reads text found in images, and it transcribes audio to text so it can work with what was said.
Can the AI access my personal documents?
Only documents whose access level makes them available to the AI. Personal-level documents are used only in your own conversations, not anyone else's. See Access Levels.
Can I see what documents the AI used to answer?
Yes. AI answers can include source citations that show which documents were referenced, so you can check where an answer came from.
Can the AI take actions without my permission?
No. When the AI wants to run an action, it shows you a confirmation card with Approve and Cancel buttons. Nothing happens until you choose Approve — if you Cancel, the action is not run. See Using AI Tools.
Are my conversations private?
Regular chats are private to you. Only project conversations are shared, and only with the members of that project.
Can I delete a conversation?
There's no delete button for a saved conversation on your chats list — conversations are kept for your reference. If you start a new chat but don't send anything, that empty conversation is cleared automatically when you begin another one.
To have real conversations permanently removed, contact your administrator with a data deletion request.