A lot of organizations turn on AI Search or Now Assist and wonder why results are disappointing. Nine times out of ten the problem isn't the AI — it's the content it's working with. Before you enable AI Search, Predictive Intelligence, or Now Assist for KM, run through this list.

A note on scope: these are three distinct capabilities with separate plugins and requirements. But all three depend on the same foundational content work — which is exactly what this checklist covers.

---

Titles

• Titles describe what a user is experiencing or trying to do — not the system, team, or ticket category
• Leading prefixes like "How To," "Procedure," or "Resolution" removed
• Consistent naming pattern applied across each KB

Short Descriptions

• Every published article has one
• 1–2 sentences, not a repeat of the title
• Written with keywords a user would actually search

Content Structure

• Articles are single-topic
• The answer or resolution appears near the top — not buried
• No critical content in collapsed/expandable sections
• Images have alt text; key information isn't image-only

Metadata

• Category, Ownership Group, and Business Service populated consistently
• Valid To date set by article type — not a flat one-year default across the board
• Article type assigned from an approved set

Duplicates

• Search-first rule enforced before any new article is created
• Duplicate scan completed using at least one method: Search for Duplicates, AI Search Similar Articles, or Now Assist KM gap detection

Article Quality Index

• AQI baseline established — average score known by KB
• Articles below 60 identified and prioritized before AI enablement
• AQI used as a publish gate going forward

Lifecycle

• Outdated articles retired — not sitting in Published state
• Review cycles assigned by article type, not a flat calendar reset

KB Architecture

• Audience targeting handled via User Criteria, not KB proliferation
• Search profiles configured to include the right source tables
• AI Search confirmed enabled on the correct portal widgets

***************

The short version: AI Search, Predictive Intelligence, and Now Assist all perform better when your foundational KM work is solid. These tools enhance good content. They don't fix bad content.