TL;DR
AI Company Search lets you describe the companies you want in plain English instead of stacking filters.
It is the first filter under Company Filters on the Leads page. Your description needs at least 5 words.
Short, specific prompts work best: 6 to 9 words, in the words your market uses.
Keep location, size and job titles out of the prompt. Add them as separate filters.
Use the ListKit Prompt Generator to turn any company website into ready-made prompts.
When you'd use this
Use AI Company Search when your ideal customer is hard to capture with one or two keywords, or when you want a quick first list to explore a new market. You can still add any other filter on top.
Step-by-step
Open the Leads page from the sidebar (or go to next.listkit.io/leads).
Click Filters. AI Company Search is the first filter under Company Filters.
In Describe the companies you want, type your prompt. The counter shows how many words you have against the 5-word minimum.
Click Search. Click Clear to start over.
Add Job Title, company location, Employee Size and any other filters, then check your counts.
What a good prompt looks like
Tell the AI three things: what type of company it is, who it serves, and what it helps them do.
Weak: "Marketing companies"
Strong: "Marketing agencies helping dentists get more patients"
Rules for strong prompts
1. Be specific
Niche prompts beat broad ones. "Software companies selling to dentists" works better than "Software companies in the US".
2. Keep it short
Aim for 6 to 9 words. The search needs at least 5. Long prompts reduce accuracy.
3. Use your market's words
Use the words companies use about themselves, such as "software", "marketing agency" or "consulting firm", rather than internal jargon.
4. Test 3 to 5 variations
Small wording changes can return very different counts, for example "Marketing companies selling Facebook ads" vs "Marketing agencies selling Meta ads". Keep a note of the prompts that work.
5. Follow the formula
Company type + service or product + target market (+ outcome). For example: "Agencies helping contractors get more clients", "Accounting firms that help roofers", "Software companies selling to vets".
6. Think like your buyer
Outcome words such as "get more leads", "book more appointments" or "close more deals" help the AI find the right companies.
What to leave out of the prompt
Don't put these in the prompt. Use the matching filters instead:
Locations ("in the US"): use Company Country, State or City.
Funding stage ("Series A"): use Funding.
Job titles ("CMOs"): use Job Title.
Company size ("10+ employees"): use Employee Size.
Use the ListKit Prompt Generator
The ListKit Prompt Generator (a custom GPT in ChatGPT) takes a company website and suggests ready-to-use prompts. For example, from a scheduling tool's website it might suggest "Software that helps businesses schedule meetings automatically". Paste any suggestion into AI Company Search.
Expected outcome
You have a targeted company list from a short prompt, ready to narrow with Job Title, location and size before you export.
FAQ
My results feel too broad. What should I do?
Make the prompt more specific: add who the company serves or what outcome it delivers.
Should I still use filters after prompting?
Yes. Add Job Title, company location, Employee Size and other filters on top.
Is there an AI search for people or job titles?
Not in the current filter panel. Use Job Title, Seniority Level, Department and People Keywords under People Filters.
Can I find companies showing buying intent?
Yes, with the Buying Intent filter under People Filters. See How do I use Buying Intent to find companies researching what I sell?
Does AI Company Search use credits?
No. Searching, filtering and checking counts are free. Credits are only used when you export.