This article explains the two different modes you can use the Zive Chat in. The selected mode impacts how the Zive Chat behaves, so it's extremely valuable to understand the difference, and choose the right mode for your use case.
1. Understand the two modes
Note: The modes only apply to the approach to internal research. Your selection only has an effect when the "Company" button is selected for the chat and an internal search is performed.
User in the loop
By default, when Autopilot is turned off, the Zive Assistant works in User in the loop mode.
Here, every time you ask a question, the Assistant first shows you which documents from your company knowledge it intends to use as the basis for its answer.
At this stage you have full control:
Approve the suggested documents so the Zive Chat continues with them.
Remove content you don’t want to be used as sources.
Add more content that the Zive Chat should consider as context.
This ensures the response is grounded in the right information — which makes this mode especially reliable when accuracy is critical.
Autopilot
When Autopilot is enabled, the Assistant skips the approval step and immediately generates an answer. It automatically selects the most relevant files based on your prompt and provides a faster experience.
This mode is ideal when:
You want quick answers without reviewing sources first.
You trust the Assistant’s document selection to be accurate enough for your use case.
The trade-off is speed versus reliability — Autopilot saves you time, while User in the Loop gives you more oversight.
2. Decide when to use which
Both modes can be useful, and knowing when to switch makes your workflow smoother:
Use User in the loop when precision matters most — e.g. verifying financial details, reviewing contractual information, or working on critical business documents.
Use Autopilot when speed is more important — e.g. answering general or simple questions, or exploring a topic in broad strokes.
Tip: In most business use cases, we recommend User in the loop, because it gives you more control and security. Keep this mode as your default and only switch to Autopilot if you want quick answers to simple questions
3. How to switch between the modes
Since the mode is stored in your user preferences, you can always change it based on your current needs.
Click on your user at the bottom left of Zive
Go on "Preferences"
Scroll down and you will see the Autopilot toggle appear:
