diff --git a/src/js/components/ManageMenu/CommunityCloud/CloudSearch.tsx b/src/js/components/ManageMenu/CommunityCloud/CloudSearch.tsx
index 4da2f3aa1..a39faf545 100644
--- a/src/js/components/ManageMenu/CommunityCloud/CloudSearch.tsx
+++ b/src/js/components/ManageMenu/CommunityCloud/CloudSearch.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { LoadingStatusNotices } from '../../common/LoadingStatusNotices'
 import { SnippetViewToggle } from '../../common/SnippetViewToggle'
 import { CloudSnippetAuthor, CloudSnippetCard } from '../../common/cloud/CloudSnippetCard'
 import { CloudSnippetsTable } from './CloudSnippetsTable'
-import { useCloudSearch } from './WithCloudSearchContext'
+import { parseSearchMethod, useCloudSearch } from './WithCloudSearchContext'
 import { SearchFilters } from './SearchFilters'
 import type { CloudSearchResults } from './WithCloudSearchContext'
 import type { TableNavProps } from '../../common/ListTable/TableNavigation'
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ const SearchBox = () => {
 			<select
 				id={searchMethodId}
 				value={searchParams.method}
-				onChange={event =>
-					updateSearchParams({ method: 'codevault' === event.target.value ? 'codevault' : 'term' })}
+				onChange={({ target: { value } }) => updateSearchParams({ method: parseSearchMethod(value) })}
 			>
 				<option value="term">{__('Search by keyword', 'code-snippets')}</option>
+				<option value="ai">{__('Search with AI', 'code-snippets')}</option>
 				<option value="codevault">{__('Name of library', 'code-snippets')}</option>
 			</select>
 
diff --git a/src/js/components/ManageMenu/CommunityCloud/WithCloudSearchContext.tsx b/src/js/components/ManageMenu/CommunityCloud/WithCloudSearchContext.tsx
index 58d72aa8e..809b48748 100644
--- a/src/js/components/ManageMenu/CommunityCloud/WithCloudSearchContext.tsx
+++ b/src/js/components/ManageMenu/CommunityCloud/WithCloudSearchContext.tsx
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ const updateSearchQueryParams = (params: CloudSearchParams) => {
 		[SEARCH_PARAM_VARS.type]: params.type || undefined,
 		[SEARCH_PARAM_VARS.query]: params.query || undefined,
 		[SEARCH_PARAM_VARS.status]: params.status || undefined,
-		[SEARCH_PARAM_VARS.method]: 'codevault' === params.method ? 'codevault' : undefined,
+		[SEARCH_PARAM_VARS.method]: 'term' === params.method ? undefined : params.method,
 		[SEARCH_PARAM_VARS.category]: params.category || undefined
 	})
 }
diff --git a/tests/e2e/code-snippets-community-featured.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/code-snippets-community-featured.spec.ts
index e44ece556..2f91c07ed 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/code-snippets-community-featured.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/code-snippets-community-featured.spec.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ const isFeaturedRequest = (url: URL): boolean =>
 	url.pathname.includes('/cloud/snippets/featured') ||
 	true === url.searchParams.get('rest_route')?.includes('/cloud/snippets/featured')
 
+const isSearchRequest = (url: URL): boolean =>
+	url.pathname.endsWith('/cloud/snippets') ||
+	true === url.searchParams.get('rest_route')?.endsWith('/cloud/snippets')
+
 const isSnippetDownloadRequest = (url: URL): boolean =>
 	url.pathname.includes('/cloud/snippets/501/download') ||
 	true === url.searchParams.get('rest_route')?.includes('/cloud/snippets/501/download')
@@ -139,6 +143,35 @@ test.describe('Community Cloud Featured Snippets', () => {
 		await expect(page.locator('.cloud-snippets-heading', { hasText: 'Featured Snippets' })).not.toBeVisible()
 	})
 
+	test('Searches with AI and keeps the method after a reload', async ({ page }) => {
+		const searchMethods: (string | null)[] = []
+
+		await page.route(isFeaturedRequest, route => route.fulfill({
+			contentType: 'application/json',
+			body: JSON.stringify(makeFeaturedResponse())
+		}))
+		await page.route(isSearchRequest, route => {
+			searchMethods.push(new URL(route.request().url()).searchParams.get('searchMethod'))
+			return route.fulfill({
+				contentType: 'application/json',
+				body: JSON.stringify(makeFeaturedResponse())
+			})
+		})
+		await openCommunityCloud(page)
+
+		const searchMethod = page.getByLabel('Search method')
+		await searchMethod.selectOption({ label: 'Search with AI' })
+		await page.locator('#cloud-search-query').fill('disable comments')
+		await page.locator('.cloud-search-form').getByRole('button', { name: /Search Cloud Library/i }).click()
+
+		await expect.poll(() => searchMethods).toEqual(['ai'])
+		await expect(page).toHaveURL(/[?&]by=ai(?:&|$)/)
+
+		await page.reload()
+		await expect(searchMethod).toHaveValue('ai')
+		await expect.poll(() => searchMethods).toEqual(['ai', 'ai'])
+	})
+
 	test('Announces loading and error states while featured snippets resolve', async ({ page }) => {
 		let releaseRequest: VoidFunction = () => undefined
 		const requestPending = new Promise<void>(resolve => {