{"id":1518,"date":"2026-06-20T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/?p=1518"},"modified":"2026-03-07T15:57:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T20:57:41","slug":"deep-linking-ai-assistants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/deep-linking-ai-assistants\/","title":{"rendered":"Deep Linking and AI Assistants: The Next Frontier"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AI assistants are becoming a primary way users interact with their phones. Instead of tapping through apps, users say "show me my hotel reservation" or "order my usual from the coffee shop." The assistant needs to open the right app, navigate to the right screen, and pass the right context. That is deep linking, driven by a conversational interface instead of a URL click.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This guide covers how deep linking integrates with AI assistants today and where it is heading. For deep linking standards, see deep linking standards in 2026<\/a>. For getting app content into search results, see app content in search results<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Smart
Photo by Anton on Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How AI Assistants Use Deep Links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Request-to-Action Chain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When a user asks an AI assistant to do something in an app, the chain looks like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

User: "Order a large latte from Bean Counter"\n  \u2192 AI assistant processes intent (action: order, item: latte, size: large, vendor: Bean Counter)\n    \u2192 Assistant identifies the app (Bean Counter app)\n      \u2192 Assistant constructs a deep link or App Intent\n        \u2192 App opens to the order screen with the latte pre-selected\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
The deep link is the handoff point between the assistant and the app. Without a working deep link, the assistant can only open the app to its home screen, leaving the user to navigate manually. For a broader look at where deep linking is headed, see The Future of Mobile Deep Linking<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Current Assistant Capabilities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Assistant<\/th>\nDeep Link Method<\/th>\nApp Integration<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Siri<\/td>\nApp Intents<\/a> + Universal Links<\/td>\nTight iOS integration, on-device processing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Google Assistant<\/td>\nApp Actions<\/a> + App Links<\/td>\nAndroid integration, server-side processing<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alexa<\/td>\nCustom skills + web links<\/td>\nLimited to Alexa-enabled devices<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ChatGPT<\/td>\nPlugins\/actions + web URLs<\/td>\nWeb-based, passes URLs to the user<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Siri and App Intents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
App Intents Framework<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Apple's App Intents framework<\/a> (introduced in iOS 16, significantly expanded in iOS 17 and 18) lets you define what your app can do in a way Siri understands:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
import AppIntents\n\nstruct OrderCoffeeIntent: AppIntent {\n    static var title: LocalizedStringResource = "Order Coffee"\n    static var description = IntentDescription("Order your favorite coffee drink")\n\n    @Parameter(title: "Drink")\n    var drink: CoffeeDrink\n\n    @Parameter(title: "Size")\n    var size: DrinkSize\n\n    static var parameterSummary: some ParameterSummary {\n        Summary("Order a \\(\\.$size) \\(\\.$drink)")\n    }\n\n    func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult & ProvidesDialog {\n        let order = try await OrderService.shared.place(drink: drink, size: size)\n        return .result(dialog: "Ordered a \\(size.rawValue) \\(drink.name). Ready in \\(order.estimatedMinutes) minutes.")\n    }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Siri Suggestions and Shortcuts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Siri learns from user behavior. If a user opens your app at 8am every weekday to check the same screen, Siri suggests that action proactively. Deep links power these suggestions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
import Intents\n\nfunc donateInteraction(for article: Article) {\n    let intent = ViewArticleIntent()\n    intent.articleId = article.id\n    intent.articleTitle = article.title\n\n    let interaction = INInteraction(intent: intent, response: nil)\n    interaction.donate { error in\n        if let error = error {\n            print("Donation failed: \\(error)")\n        }\n    }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
The more interactions you donate, the better Siri gets at suggesting your app at the right time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spotlight Integration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
App Intents automatically surface in Spotlight search. When a user types a query that matches an App Intent, Spotlight shows the action directly:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
struct SearchProductsIntent: AppIntent {\n    static var title: LocalizedStringResource = "Search Products"\n    static var openAppWhenRun: Bool = true\n\n    @Parameter(title: "Query")\n    var query: String\n\n    func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult {\n        \/\/ Opens the app and navigates to search results\n        NavigationManager.shared.navigateToSearch(query: query)\n        return .result()\n    }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Google Assistant and App Actions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Built-In Intents<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Google provides built-in intents<\/a> for common actions. Your app declares which intents it supports in the actions.xml<\/code> file:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<!-- res\/xml\/actions.xml -->\n<actions>\n  <action intentName="actions.intent.ORDER_MENU_ITEM">\n    <fulfillment urlTemplate="https:\/\/yourapp.com\/order{?item,size}">\n      <parameter-mapping\n        intentParameter="menuItem.name"\n        urlParameter="item" \/>\n      <parameter-mapping\n        intentParameter="menuItem.menuItemOption.quantity"\n        urlParameter="size" \/>\n    <\/fulfillment>\n  <\/action>\n\n  <action intentName="actions.intent.GET_THING">\n    <fulfillment urlTemplate="https:\/\/yourapp.com\/search{?q}">\n      <parameter-mapping\n        intentParameter="thing.name"\n        urlParameter="q" \/>\n    <\/fulfillment>\n  <\/action>\n<\/actions>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
The urlTemplate<\/code> is a deep link. Google Assistant constructs the URL with the extracted parameters and launches the app via App Links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
App Actions Test Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Google provides the App Actions Test Tool<\/a> in Android Studio to verify that your intents and deep links work correctly before publishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Preparing Your App for AI Assistants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Define Your App's Actions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
List every meaningful action a user can take in your app:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Action<\/th>\nParameters<\/th>\nDeep Link<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
View product<\/td>\nproduct ID or slug<\/td>\n\/products\/{slug}<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Search<\/td>\nquery string<\/td>\n\/search?q={query}<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Place order<\/td>\nitems, quantities<\/td>\n\/order?items={items}<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Check status<\/td>\norder ID<\/td>\n\/orders\/{orderId}<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
View profile<\/td>\nuser ID<\/td>\n\/users\/{userId}<\/code><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
2. Make Deep Links Parameterized<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
AI assistants pass specific parameters. Your deep links need to accept them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Static:      \/products\/blue-running-shoes     (specific product)\nParameterized: \/products?color=blue&type=shoes  (filtered view)\nSearch:      \/search?q=blue+running+shoes      (search query)\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
3. Handle Missing Parameters Gracefully<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The assistant may not extract all parameters. Your app should handle partial information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
class ProductActivity : AppCompatActivity() {\n    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {\n        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)\n\n        val uri = intent.data ?: return\n        val productSlug = uri.getQueryParameter("product")\n        val category = uri.getQueryParameter("category")\n        val query = uri.getQueryParameter("q")\n\n        when {\n            productSlug != null -> viewModel.loadProduct(productSlug)\n            category != null -> viewModel.loadCategory(category)\n            query != null -> viewModel.search(query)\n            else -> viewModel.loadHomeFeed()\n        }\n    }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
4. Return Results to the Assistant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
For Siri, return structured results so the assistant can speak them back:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
struct CheckOrderStatusIntent: AppIntent {\n    static var title: LocalizedStringResource = "Check Order Status"\n\n    @Parameter(title: "Order Number")\n    var orderNumber: String?\n\n    func perform() async throws -> some IntentResult & ProvidesDialog {\n        let order = try await OrderService.shared.getLatestOrder(number: orderNumber)\n\n        return .result(\n            dialog: "Your order of \\(order.itemDescription) is \\(order.status). \\(order.estimatedDelivery != nil ? "Estimated delivery: \\(order.estimatedDelivery!.formatted())" : "")"\n        )\n    }\n}\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Voice Search and Deep Links<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Voice Queries Are Different<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Voice searches tend to be longer and more conversational than typed searches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
Typed Search<\/th>\nVoice Search<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
"pizza delivery"<\/td>\n"find pizza delivery near me that's open right now"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
"hotel barcelona"<\/td>\n"book a hotel in Barcelona for next weekend"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
"flight JFK LAX"<\/td>\n"what's the cheapest flight from New York to LA this Friday"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Your web content (which feeds into app indexing) should target these longer, conversational queries with FAQ sections, how-to content, and natural language headings. For how to make your app content discoverable by search engines and assistants alike, see Structured Data for App Content<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schema for Voice Actions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Add speakable<\/a> structured data to indicate which parts of your page are suitable for voice responses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<script type="application\/ld+json">\n{\n  "@context": "https:\/\/schema.org",\n  "@type": "WebPage",\n  "name": "Best Pizza Places Near Downtown",\n  "speakable": {\n    "@type": "SpeakableSpecification",\n    "cssSelector": [".page-summary", ".top-pick"]\n  }\n}\n<\/script>\n<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Tolinku and AI Assistant Integration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Tolinku<\/a> provides the deep link infrastructure that AI assistants rely on. When Siri or Google Assistant constructs a deep link to your app, the URL needs to resolve correctly whether the user has the app installed or not. Tolinku handles this routing: app installed opens the app, app not installed shows the web fallback, and the URL works as a valid web page for search indexing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Configure your routes in the Tolinku dashboard<\/a> with parameterized paths like \/products\/:slug<\/code> and \/search<\/code> to support the URL templates that AI assistants generate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
How AI assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and ChatGPT are changing deep linking. Prepare your app for voice and conversational navigation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1517,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"Deep Linking and AI Assistants: The Next Frontier","rank_math_description":"How AI assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and ChatGPT are changing deep linking. Prepare your app for voice and conversational navigation.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"deep linking AI assistants","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_facebook_title":"","rank_math_facebook_description":"","rank_math_facebook_image":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/og-deep-linking-ai-assistants.png","rank_math_facebook_image_id":"","rank_math_twitter_title":"","rank_math_twitter_description":"","rank_math_twitter_image":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/og-deep-linking-ai-assistants.png","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[385,389,390,20,388,69,387,386],"class_list":["post-1518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-deep-linking","tag-ai-assistants","tag-app-intents","tag-conversational-ui","tag-deep-linking","tag-google-assistant","tag-mobile-development","tag-siri","tag-voice-search"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1518"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1518\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2871,"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1518\/revisions\/2871"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1517"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tolinku.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}