Accessing & Configuring Generative Search

Every strategy starts with questions – Generative Search has answers

This article explains how to access, configure, and customize Generative Search so you can get the most accurate, relevant, and actionable insights from your research. You’ll learn how to adjust Generative Search settings, understand available modes, and use newer features.

• What is Generative Search?
• How to Access Generative Search
• Configuring Generative Search Settings
  • Select an Appropriate Generative Search Mode
  • Use Select Docs to Analyze Specific Documents
  • Apply Specific Content Sources
    • Turning on Web Search
  • Enhance Instructions
• Choose Your Preferred LLM Model
• Generative Search History
• Financial Data Integration into Generative Search

What is Generative Search?

Generative Search is an AI-powered research system that helps you answer complex business and financial questions through a conversational interface.

It retrieves and reasons across hundreds of millions of trusted qualitative and quantitative data points including filings, transcripts, sell-side research, expert interviews, financials, and other structured and unstructured sources to deliver clear insights, whether you need a quick answer or deep analysis.

How to Access Generative Search

Whenever you run a search in AlphaSense, AI-generated insights are powered by Generative Search. Because Generative Search is built directly into the platform, you can access and interact with it from multiple entry points, indicated by the sparkle icon throughout AlphaSense. 

Begin your research using natural language from the Generative Search homepage:

• Login to AlphaSense (you will land on the Generative Search homepage) OR
• Select the Generative Search sparkle icon from the lefthand tool bar. 
• Type a question into the Search bar.

Jump into Generative Search after running a traditional Document Search

• Select the magnifying glass icon from the lefthand tool bar.
• Run a search using the Keyword Search bar.
• View Generative Search's summary on the right-hand side.
• Select any summary or the "Open in Gen Search" at the bottom of the summary to launch Generative Search and ask any follow up questions.

Use Generative Search on a single document

• After conducting a search, open the desired document and select "Ask in Doc."
• Ask any natural language question.  If you're unsure, you can ask "Summarize this document."
• Review the results.

Configuring Generative Search Settings

Generative Search includes configurable settings that let you control how answers are generated, how much reasoning is applied, and which sources are included.

Select an Appropriate Generative Search Mode

Generative Search offers multiple modes to support different levels of analysis.

• Auto: automatically selects the appropriate level of reasoning based on your question.
• Think Longer: Applies deeper reasoning for more complex or multi-step questions to produce a more robust and refined answer (typically within 1–3 minutes). 
• Deep Research: Designed to produce comprehensive, analyst-grade research reports for in-depth research tasks such as market analysis, competitive comparisons, or company deep dives (takes 10+ minutes).

With Auto Mode enabled:

• Simple questions return fast, concise answers.
• More complex questions automatically trigger deeper analysis.
• Suggested follow-up questions help expand your research without rewriting prompts.

Auto Mode is ideal if you want Generative Search to adapt automatically without manually switching modes.

Note: You can also select Skip, View Fast Answer after submitting a query if you want quicker results.

Use the + Icon to Analyze Specific Documents, Companies or Industries

• Click the + icon in the search bar.
• From the dropdown you can:
  • Upload a file directly from your desktop.
  • Select Documents and use the Document Selector to further define your universe using specific parameters: company name, watchlists, industries, keywords, tags, timeframe, integration points, and content sources.
  • Use the @ symbol to easily add companies, industries or watchlists.

Note: To search across multiple companies, it's recommended to use a watchlist. If you choose not to use a watchlist, you must search for and add each company individually. 

Using the Document Selector Menu you can filter and refine your document universe using parameters such as company, watchlists, industries, keywords, tags, timeframe, integration points, and content sources.

Once you locate the documents you want to analyze:

• Select the check boxes to add individual documents.

• Select Add Documents to include all documents currently shown in the results.

Analyze Specific Content Types

Use the All Sources dropdown to control which content sets are included in your Generative Search query.

• Click All Sources in the search bar.
• Use the checkboxes to select or deselect the content sets you want to include.
• Click View All Sources to open the full Sources menu, where you can search and filter content with greater precision.

Turning on Web Search

When using Generative Search you will have the ability to include Web Search to expand your research beyond the “walled garden” of premium, curated content within AlphaSense. 

When Web Search is turned on:

• The latest Gemini model helps find and organize relevant web results.
• Collected web content is sent to AlphaSense, where it is summarized, analyzed, and cited alongside other sources.

Enhance Instructions

Use the Enhance Instruction button when you want to turn a simple or rough prompt into something more structured, specific, and effective without having to rewrite it yourself.

Why use it

• Improves clarity and specificity of your prompt
• Helps generate more targeted, higher-quality responses
• Adds structure (scope, context, format) automatically
• Reduces back-and-forth iterations

Choose Your Preferred LLM Model in Account Settings

You can select the model that best fits your workflow and research needs.

Different models may prioritize:

• Faster responses
• Deeper reasoning
• More structured or detailed outputs

To update your preferred LLM model:

• Go to My Account (click your Initials in the bottom left corner)
• Select Preferences
• Scroll to Generative Search Model
• Select the preferred LLM model from the drop down

Note: For best results, keep Smart Default on so AlphaSense can automatically select the optimal model for each query. 

Generative Search History

Thread history is now sorted by most recent interaction, making it easier to quickly return to active work. You can also search and surface past queries. The Search applies to prompts only, not Generative Search outputs.

Note: To clear your Generative Search History, navigate to Account Preferences and select Clear Gen Search History.

Financial Data Integration into Generative Search

Generative Search integrates structured financial data directly into AI-generated responses.

This allows you to:

• Ask natural-language questions about financial performance and trends.
• Combine qualitative insights with quantitative data in a single response.
• Receive answers grounded in both financial data and source documents.

Learn more about how this integration helps bridge traditional financial analysis with AI-powered research.