In Intercom the chatbot is Fin AI Agent. Install the Messenger on your site, give Fin at least 10 public Help Center articles to learn from, add guidance, test it under Fin AI Agent > Test, then set it live under Deploy > Chat. Start with a small test audience before you open it to everyone.
Two things you need before Fin can answer anyone
The chatbot's called Fin AI Agent, and it won't go live until two boxes are ticked. First, the Messenger has to be installed on your site, because that's how customers reach you over chat. Second, you'll need at least 10 public articles live in your Help Center. If you've only got three, write the other seven first. It's the slowest part of the job and there's no way around it.
It'll answer from the Help Center connected to your brand. You can also add documents, snippets or public URLs under Fin AI Agent > Train > Content.
Seven steps from install to live
1. Start the Messenger install
Go to Settings > Channels > Messenger Live Chat > Overview, find the Website card and select Install on website. If you're not sure, pick Visitors & leads (the quickest) or Signed-in users, visitors & leads.
2. Put the code on your site
Copy the install code and paste it before the </body> tag on every page where the chat should appear. If you'd rather not touch code, WordPress, Google Tag Manager, Shopify and Segment are offered as routes.
3. Switch on the content Fin can use
Check your 10 public articles are live, then open Fin AI Agent > Train > Content and enable what Fin may draw on.
4. Write the guidance
Under Fin AI Agent > Train > Guidance, write plain-language rules for your tone, your policies and the sensitive topics that must go to a person. Think refunds, complaints and anything legal. This is where your brand voice lives, and Fin can work in over 45 languages.
5. Test with real questions
Open Fin AI Agent > Test. You can generate questions from previous conversations, bulk upload them via CSV or add them by hand, then mark each answer Good or Poor. If an answer's weak, don't just tweak the guidance; improve the article behind it. You can also preview replies in Deploy for live chat, email or phone without setting Fin live.
6. Go live to your own team first
Go to Fin AI Agent > Deploy > Chat, open Who will see Fin under Simple deploy, and add an audience rule such as Email contains your company domain. Check the handover and auto-close settings, select Set Fin Live, then send a test question through the Messenger yourself.
7. Review, then widen
Look at the results under Fin AI Agent > Analyze, then widen the audience or the topics Fin handles. Intercom suggests setting live-chat conversations to auto-close after a few minutes of customer inactivity, so the involvement and resolution numbers stay accurate.
Why your existing Workflow bot may stop firing
The Intercom Help Center explains a priority rule that surprises people. Simple deployment takes priority over Workflows: if both are active on the same channel and audience, Simple deployment triggers first and can stop a matching Workflow from firing. So if you built a bot in Workflows months ago and it suddenly goes quiet after Fin goes live, give each one different audience targeting.
Channels beyond your website
Once chat's working, Fin can run on the Messenger on web, iOS and Android, plus email, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS and Slack. Phone runs through Fin Voice, which is limited to select customers.
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Other ways to put a chatbot on your site
HubSpot's rule-based chatbot is built under Service > Chatflows > Create chatflow > Website, and it can qualify leads, book meetings or create support tickets.
Crisp installs its chatbox on a custom website by copying a script and pasting it into the site HTML.
For a wider comparison, see my guides to Intercom alternatives and chatbot builders for small businesses.
My verdict before you flip the switch
Spend your first afternoon on the articles, not the settings. Fin is only as good as the content you give it, and 10 strong articles beat a pile of thin ones. Write the handover rules before you test, launch to your own email domain, and only open it to customers once you've marked a full batch of answers Good.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Intercom chatbot called Fin?
Yes. It's Fin AI Agent, which answers customers using your Help Center articles, documents, snippets and public URLs.
What do I need before Fin can go live?
The Messenger installed on your site and at least 10 public articles live in your Help Center.
Can I test Fin before customers see it?
Yes. Use Fin AI Agent > Test with real questions, and preview replies in Deploy. For a live test, limit the audience to your company email domain.
Where does Fin work besides my website?
Email, phone through Fin Voice, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS and Slack, with Fin Voice limited to select customers.
Why is my Workflow not triggering after Fin is live?
Simple deployment takes priority over Workflows on the same channel and audience. Give each method different audience targeting.
