How can I control whether the AI uses only my project data or general knowledge as well?

Short answer

By default, chat responses are generated only from your Project documents. If you want the AI to use External Knowledge or Web Search, you can enable them using the chat option buttons located under the chat box.

Full explanation

AskTuring chat is now Project-focused by default. Every new chat session starts in Project-only mode, meaning the AI references only the documents and data within your Project when generating responses.

There is no longer a toggle in the chat header.

Instead, users can explicitly add additional sources on a per-message basis using the chat option buttons beneath the message input box.

Here’s how it works:

Default behavior.
The AI uses only your Project documents. No external knowledge or web data is included unless you choose to add it.
Adding External Knowledge.
Click the External Knowledge option under the chat box before sending your message. This allows the AI to combine your Project data with its general knowledge to provide broader context.
Adding Web Search.
Click the Web Search option under the chat box to allow the AI to retrieve and reference information from the web in addition to your Project content.
Clear confirmation.
After you submit a message with External Knowledge or Web Search enabled, the AI explicitly indicates which sources were used in its response.

Tips

Chat uses Project documents only by default.
Enable External Knowledge or Web Search only when you need broader context.
Use External Knowledge for general explanations.
Use Web Search for current or public information.
Check the response to confirm which sources were used.

Examples

A law firm relies on the default Project-only chat when reviewing client contracts, ensuring the AI references only internal legal documents.
A marketing director enables External Knowledge under the chat box to blend brand guidelines with general market trend insights for campaign planning.
A university researcher adds External Knowledge or Web Search to combine institutional data with public academic findings when broader context is needed.