Can our Zendesk history be licensed to AI companies, and how do we get it out?
Often yes, if the company holds the rights and removes customer personal data first, since support tickets are among the records buyers look for. Zendesk admins can export tickets, users and organizations once the account owner has asked Zendesk to turn exports on, on eligible plans. Some buyers instead connect with read-only access.
What is in Zendesk, and why do buyers value it?
Zendesk holds support tickets: the customer's question, the agent's replies, internal notes, tags, priorities, and how long each issue took to resolve. It also stores user and organization records and help center content.
Support conversations are a strong example of real problem solving. A ticket that runs from complaint to fix shows how a trained person diagnoses an issue and explains it in plain language. That is the kind of record AI companies building support tools look for.
PERSON_07: approved, note on ACCOUNT_12
Status: credit issued · resolved in 2 days
Adjustment: −$412.50 · reason: damage
Blocked by: vendor file format
How does a Zendesk export work?
As of October 2026, Zendesk's help center says exports run from Admin Center under Account, Tools, Reports. Data exports are off by default; the account owner must contact Zendesk Customer Support to turn them on. Zendesk emails a link to a zip file when the export finishes.
Formats and limits, per Zendesk:
- JSON (a structured data format): tickets, users or organizations as newline-delimited JSON; recommended for accounts with more than 200,000 tickets. Comments are dropped for any single ticket over 1 MB.
- CSV (comma-separated values, a plain spreadsheet format): ticket fields only; it leaves out comments and descriptions, so it is less useful for licensing.
- XML (another structured format): full account export including tickets with comments, capped at 500 MB and unavailable above 200,000 tickets. Custom fields need the API (application programming interface).
Which plans and roles can export?
Zendesk says the export tools are available on Suite Growth, Professional, Enterprise and Enterprise Plus, and on Support Professional and Enterprise. Team plans do not get the export tools, though all plans can use the Zendesk REST API. Admins run exports, and account owners can restrict exports to certain admins.
Is a connector simpler?
Some buyer programs read Zendesk through an API token or an app an admin installs, which also works on Team plans that lack the export tools. Ask whether it reads internal notes, attachments and end-user profiles, and turn off anything you do not intend to license. Revoke the token when the work ends and confirm how copies are deleted.
What should stay out?
- Customer names, emails, phone numbers, addresses, and order or account numbers in ticket text.
- Attachments such as photos, receipts, and ID documents.
- Tickets involving health, payment disputes, or legal claims.
- Internal notes about staff performance.
- Tickets from business customers whose contracts restrict reuse.
What rights questions apply?
Zendesk's customer agreement says the customer keeps ownership of its service data and can export it during the subscription and for 30 days after. Owning the export is not the same as having the right to license it. Tickets are written by your customers, so privacy laws, your privacy policy, and customer contracts all matter. Read our guides on de-identification and on employee and customer privacy, and ask your lawyer.
Where should you start with Zendesk data?
Check your plan and ask the account owner whether data exports are turned on, since Zendesk keeps them off by default. If the account is being cancelled, note that Zendesk's agreement allows export for 30 days after the subscription ends. Pick the JSON format if you want ticket conversations, because the CSV export leaves out comments.
Common questions
Why can't we see the export option?
Zendesk says exports are off by default, so the account owner must ask Zendesk Support to turn them on. Team plans do not include the export tools.
Which format includes ticket conversations?
JSON and Full XML include comments. CSV does not include comments or descriptions.
We cancelled Zendesk. Can we still export?
Zendesk's agreement allows export for 30 days after the subscription ends. After that, data may be deleted.
Do tickets need to be de-identified?
Almost always. Ticket text is full of customer details.
Sources
- Exporting ticket, user, or organization data from your account | Zendesk help, accessed 2026-10-15
- Zendesk Customer Agreement, accessed 2026-10-15
General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.