Built-in intents

A built-in intent is a unique identifier that you can specify to tell Assistant that your Action can fulfill a specific category of user requests. Built-in intents let users invoke your Action without using your project's display name. To find matching Actions, Google Assistant determines if a user is asking to do something similar to an invocation phrase for one of your configured intents, or when the user is in a context where your Actions would be appropriate.

For example, here are some user queries that Assistant matches to built-in intents:

  • "Play game" built-in intent: "Ok Google. Play a memory game"
  • "Teach me something new" built-in intent: "Ok Google. Teach me something new"
  • "Storytelling" built-in intent: "Ok Google. Tell me a bedtime story"

During Action discovery, Assistant can use metadata about your Action, including the built-in intents you've specified, to recommend your Action to users. To minimize conversational round-trips, Assistant also attempts to scan parameters from the user queries and pass them on to your Action.

If you develop your Action using the Actions SDK, make sure you're using version 3.1.0 or higher of the gactions binary to utilize built-in intents.

Invocation parameters

Certain built-in intents have parameter values that are used to further categorize your Action for discovery. For example, the storytelling built-in intent has genre parameter values. Users can include these values in their query to Assistant, by making requests like "Ok Google. Tell me an adventure story".

See the storytelling and educational sections for details on specific parameter values.

Play Game built-in intent

The Play Game built-in intent grants your Action additional discoverability to Assistant users who make requests like "Okay Google. Play a game."

For more information on Assistant game development and guidance, see Game design guide for Google Assistant.

Set up

To set up the Play Game built-in intent, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Actions console.
  2. Click New project, enter a project name, and click Create project.

Storytelling built-in intent

The storytelling built-in intent registers your Action for additional storytelling discovery through Assistant requests like "Okay Google. Tell me a princess story."

Storytelling Actions should follow these high-level guidelines:

  • Your Action doesn't rely on text-to-speech as the primary storytelling voice
  • Your Action should be enjoyed with or without a screen
  • Your Action must be family friendly

Invocation parameters

Invocation parameters for the storytelling built-in intent represent genres users can include in their request to hear a story. These parameters can improve your discovery in the requested genres:

Genre (Actions Builder) Parameter value (SDK)
Adventure ADVENTURE
Bedtime BEDTIME
Fantasy FANTASY
Interactive INTERACTIVE
Princess PRINCESS

Set up

To set up the storytelling built-in intent, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Actions console.
  2. Click New project, enter a project name, and click Create project.

Education built-in intent

The educational built-in intent registers your Action for additional education discovery through Assistant requests like "Okay Google. Teach me something new."

Educational Actions should follow these high-level guidelines:

  • Your Action should aim to teach or assist in learning

  • Your Action is not intended for advertisements or recruitment tools

  • Your Action focuses on skills and knowledge

  • Your Action teaches well-established skills and knowledge

  • The information your Action teaches is not opinion-based or the result of current events

Invocation parameters

Invocation parameters for the educational built-in intent represent learning topics users can include in their requests. These parameters can improve your discovery in the requested learning topics:

Learning topic (Actions Builder) Parameter value (SDK)
Learn a new language LANGUAGE
Learn more about the natural world WORLD
Learn a new skill SKILL
Learn with family FAMILY

Set up

To set up the educational built-in intent, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Actions console.
  2. Click New project, enter a project name, and click Create project.