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EBSCO Information Services (EBSCO) has introduced two new AI‑assisted research features in EBSCOhost: AI Conversational Search and Ask This Document (AI Ask). These tools, part of the EBSCOhost AI Research Companion suite, are designed to help users conduct research more efficiently and gain deeper insights from trusted EBSCO content.

AI Conversational Search enables users to ask research questions in natural language and receive concise answers supported by citations from EBSCO sources. The feature allows follow‑up questions within the same workflow, helping researchers refine topics, expand inquiries, and validate information. It is being rolled out initially on the Business Searching Interface for Business Source Ultimate subscribers, with plans to expand to other EBSCOhost databases.

Ask This Document (AI Ask) allows users to interact directly with full‑text documents by posing questions about their content. Responses are generated from the document itself, helping researchers quickly assess relevance, identify key points, and determine whether the material supports their research needs.

Kimberly Clarkson, Director of Product Management for Research Databases at EBSCO, noted that trusted content remains central to meaningful research as AI becomes part of the discovery process. She explained that the new features are intended to help users engage more naturally with reliable sources while maintaining transparency and citation integrity.

Mike Napoleone, Vice President of Product Management at EBSCO, emphasized that AI is increasingly shaping how people search for and interpret information. He stated that the features are designed to support the evolution of research by integrating AI assistance directly into the platform and connecting users back to source material, thereby helping researchers ask better questions and maintain confidence in the evidence behind responses.

According to EBSCO, the new features reflect its commitment to responsible AI by grounding responses in trusted content, showing users the origin of information, and linking back to source material. The tools aim to help researchers evaluate relevance, understand sources more effectively, and move from questions to citable research with greater confidence.