The chat interface is where you interact with AI assistants in IllumiChat. Whether you need help drafting content, analyzing data, brainstorming ideas, or answering questions, conversations happen here.
The Chat Interface
When you open a chat, you see a clean conversation area with a message input at the bottom.
- Type your message in the input area at the bottom of the screen.
- Press Enter to send your message.
- The AI assistant responds immediately with a streaming reply — you see the text appear word by word in real time.
Press Shift + Enter to add a new line in your message without sending it. This is useful for formatting multi-paragraph prompts or including code snippets.
Stopping a Response
If the AI is generating a response and you want to stop it:
- Click the Stop button that appears while a response is streaming.
- Press Escape on your keyboard.
The response stops where it is, and you can send a new message or edit your previous one.
Editing Messages
You can edit any message you have sent:
- Hover over your message to reveal the action icons.
- Click the Edit (pencil) icon.
- Modify your message text.
- Submit the edit.
When you edit a message, the AI automatically regenerates its response based on your updated prompt. This makes it easy to iterate on your questions without starting a new conversation.
Regenerating Responses
If you want the AI to take another attempt at answering the same prompt:
- Hover over the AI’s response to reveal the action icons.
- Click the Regenerate icon.
- The AI produces a new response to the same prompt.
Choosing AI Models
IllumiChat gives you access to multiple AI models. Switch between them using the model selector in the input area before sending a message.
| Model | Strengths |
|---|
| Grok-2 | Fast responses, access to real-time information, great for current events and trending topics |
| GPT-4o | Excellent general-purpose model for writing, analysis, and coding tasks |
| Claude Sonnet | Best for long documents, nuanced conversations, and careful reasoning |
| Auto | Automatically selects the best model for your task |
Model availability may vary depending on your workspace plan. Some models may only be accessible on higher-tier plans. Contact your workspace administrator if you need access to a specific model.
Web Search
IllumiChat can search the web in real time to provide up-to-date answers. Web search gives the AI access to current information beyond its training data.
How It Works
When web search is enabled, the AI can look up real-time information from the internet before responding. This is especially useful for:
- Current events, news, and recent developments
- Up-to-date pricing, statistics, or data
- Recent product releases or documentation changes
- Fact-checking and verification
Enabling and Disabling
Toggle web search on or off using the search control in the chat input area. Enable it when your question involves time-sensitive information. Disable it when you want faster responses or are working with your own documents.
Source Citations
When the AI uses web search results, it includes source citations in its response so you can verify the information and explore further.
File Attachments
You can attach files to your messages for the AI to analyze, summarize, or reference.
How to Attach Files
- Click the paperclip icon in the input area.
- Select one or more files from your device.
- The file appears as a thumbnail in the input area.
- Type your message and press Enter to send.
Supported File Types
| Category | Formats |
|---|
| Images | JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP |
| Documents | PDF, Word, Text |
| Data | CSV, Excel |
Each file must be under 10 MB in size. If your file exceeds this limit, try compressing it or splitting it into smaller parts.
Tips for Better File Analysis
- Be specific about what you want. Instead of just attaching a file, tell the AI what to do with it: “Summarize the key findings in this PDF” or “What trends do you see in this CSV data?”
- Reference sections by name. If your document has chapters or sections, point the AI to the part you care about.
- Attach images for visual analysis. The AI can describe images, read text in screenshots, and analyze charts or diagrams.
Chat History
Every conversation is saved automatically, so you never lose your work.
Finding Past Chats
Your chat history appears in the sidebar on the left side of the screen. Chats are listed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Use the search field at the top of the sidebar to find a specific conversation by keyword.
Organizing Chats
- Rename a chat by clicking on its title in the sidebar and typing a new name.
- Delete a chat you no longer need by hovering over it in the sidebar and clicking the delete option.
Sharing Chats
You can share a conversation with others:
- Open the chat you want to share.
- Click the Share button in the chat header.
- Copy the generated link.
- Send the link to anyone you want to share it with.
Shared chats are read-only. Recipients can view the conversation but cannot add messages or modify it.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|
| Enter | Send message |
| Shift + Enter | New line |
| Escape | Stop generating |
| Up Arrow | Edit last message |
| Cmd/Ctrl + K | New chat |
