diff --git a/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/api/conversations/use_fetch_current_user_conversations.test.tsx b/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/api/conversations/use_fetch_current_user_conversations.test.tsx
index 652764212e996..f10c7d07a35d6 100644
--- a/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/api/conversations/use_fetch_current_user_conversations.test.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/api/conversations/use_fetch_current_user_conversations.test.tsx
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ describe('useFetchCurrentUserConversations', () => {
           method: 'GET',
           query: {
             page: 1,
-            perPage: 100,
+            per_page: 99,
           },
           version: '2023-10-31',
           signal: undefined,
diff --git a/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/api/conversations/use_fetch_current_user_conversations.ts b/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/api/conversations/use_fetch_current_user_conversations.ts
index 68612e3e22397..9006ca387e086 100644
--- a/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/api/conversations/use_fetch_current_user_conversations.ts
+++ b/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/api/conversations/use_fetch_current_user_conversations.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import { Conversation } from '../../../assistant_context/types';
 
 export interface FetchConversationsResponse {
   page: number;
-  perPage: number;
+  per_page: number;
   total: number;
   data: Conversation[];
 }
@@ -40,13 +40,13 @@ export interface UseFetchCurrentUserConversationsParams {
  */
 const query = {
   page: 1,
-  perPage: 100,
+  per_page: 99,
 };
 
 export const CONVERSATIONS_QUERY_KEYS = [
   ELASTIC_AI_ASSISTANT_CONVERSATIONS_URL_FIND,
   query.page,
-  query.perPage,
+  query.per_page,
   API_VERSIONS.public.v1,
 ];
 
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ export const useFetchCurrentUserConversations = ({
     {
       select: (data) => onFetch(data),
       keepPreviousData: true,
-      initialData: { page: 1, perPage: 100, total: 0, data: [] },
+      initialData: { ...query, total: 0, data: [] },
       refetchOnWindowFocus,
       enabled: isAssistantEnabled,
     }
diff --git a/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/helpers.test.ts b/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/helpers.test.ts
index 5559e273f06b5..26609dea82164 100644
--- a/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/helpers.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/packages/kbn-elastic-assistant/impl/assistant/helpers.test.ts
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ describe('helpers', () => {
     };
     const conversationsData = {
       page: 1,
-      perPage: 10,
+      per_page: 10,
       total: 2,
       data: Object.values(baseConversations).map((c) => c),
     };
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/scripts/create_conversations.js b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/scripts/create_conversations.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b08f1419af0c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/scripts/create_conversations.js
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+require('../../../../src/setup_node_env');
+require('./create_conversations_script').create();
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/scripts/create_conversations_script.ts b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/scripts/create_conversations_script.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..2fd388e299f6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/scripts/create_conversations_script.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,165 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
+ * or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License
+ * 2.0; you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License
+ * 2.0.
+ */
+
+import { randomBytes } from 'node:crypto';
+import yargs from 'yargs/yargs';
+import { ToolingLog } from '@kbn/tooling-log';
+import axios from 'axios';
+import {
+  API_VERSIONS,
+  ConversationCreateProps,
+  ELASTIC_AI_ASSISTANT_CONVERSATIONS_URL,
+} from '@kbn/elastic-assistant-common';
+import pLimit from 'p-limit';
+import { getCreateConversationSchemaMock } from '../server/__mocks__/conversations_schema.mock';
+
+/**
+ * Developer script for creating conversations.
+ * node x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/scripts/create_conversations
+ */
+export const create = async () => {
+  const logger = new ToolingLog({
+    level: 'info',
+    writeTo: process.stdout,
+  });
+  const argv = yargs(process.argv.slice(2))
+    .option('count', {
+      type: 'number',
+      description: 'Number of conversations to create',
+      default: 100,
+    })
+    .option('kibana', {
+      type: 'string',
+      description: 'Kibana url including auth',
+      default: `http://elastic:changeme@localhost:5601`,
+    })
+    .parse();
+  const kibanaUrl = removeTrailingSlash(argv.kibana);
+  const count = Number(argv.count);
+  logger.info(`Kibana URL: ${kibanaUrl}`);
+  const connectorsApiUrl = `${kibanaUrl}/api/actions/connectors`;
+  const conversationsCreateUrl = `${kibanaUrl}${ELASTIC_AI_ASSISTANT_CONVERSATIONS_URL}`;
+
+  try {
+    logger.info(`Fetching available connectors...`);
+    const { data: connectors } = await axios.get(connectorsApiUrl, {
+      headers: requestHeaders,
+    });
+    const aiConnectors = connectors.filter(
+      ({ connector_type_id: connectorTypeId }: { connector_type_id: string }) =>
+        AllowedActionTypeIds.includes(connectorTypeId)
+    );
+    if (aiConnectors.length === 0) {
+      throw new Error('No AI connectors found, create an AI connector to use this script');
+    }
+
+    logger.info(`Creating ${count} conversations...`);
+    if (count > 999) {
+      logger.info(`This may take a couple of minutes...`);
+    }
+
+    const promises = Array.from({ length: count }, (_, i) =>
+      limit(() =>
+        retryRequest(
+          () =>
+            axios.post(
+              conversationsCreateUrl,
+              getCreateConversationSchemaMock({
+                ...getMockConversationContent(),
+                apiConfig: {
+                  actionTypeId: aiConnectors[0].connector_type_id,
+                  connectorId: aiConnectors[0].id,
+                },
+              }),
+              { headers: requestHeaders }
+            ),
+          3, // Retry up to 3 times
+          1000 // Delay of 1 second between retries
+        )
+      )
+    );
+
+    const results = await Promise.allSettled(promises);
+
+    const successfulResults = results.filter((result) => result.status === 'fulfilled');
+    const errorResults = results.filter(
+      (result) => result.status === 'rejected'
+    ) as PromiseRejectedResult[];
+    const conversationsCreated = successfulResults.length;
+
+    if (count > conversationsCreated) {
+      const errorExample =
+        errorResults.length > 0 ? errorResults[0]?.reason?.message ?? 'unknown' : 'unknown';
+      throw new Error(
+        `Failed to create all conversations. Expected count: ${count}, Created count: ${conversationsCreated}. Reason: ${errorExample}`
+      );
+    }
+    logger.info(`Successfully created ${successfulResults.length} conversations.`);
+  } catch (e) {
+    logger.error(e);
+  }
+};
+// Set the concurrency limit (e.g., 50 requests at a time)
+const limit = pLimit(50);
+
+// Retry helper function
+const retryRequest = async (
+  fn: () => Promise<unknown>,
+  retries: number = 3,
+  delay: number = 1000
+): Promise<unknown> => {
+  try {
+    return await fn();
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (retries > 0) {
+      await new Promise((res) => setTimeout(res, delay));
+      return retryRequest(fn, retries - 1, delay);
+    }
+    throw e; // If retries are exhausted, throw the error
+  }
+};
+
+const getMockConversationContent = (): Partial<ConversationCreateProps> => ({
+  title: `A ${randomBytes(4).toString('hex')} title`,
+  isDefault: false,
+  messages: [
+    {
+      content: 'Hello robot',
+      role: 'user',
+      timestamp: '2019-12-13T16:40:33.400Z',
+      traceData: {
+        traceId: '1',
+        transactionId: '2',
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      content: 'Hello human',
+      role: 'assistant',
+      timestamp: '2019-12-13T16:41:33.400Z',
+      traceData: {
+        traceId: '3',
+        transactionId: '4',
+      },
+    },
+  ],
+});
+
+export const AllowedActionTypeIds = ['.bedrock', '.gen-ai', '.gemini'];
+
+const requestHeaders = {
+  'kbn-xsrf': 'xxx',
+  'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+  'elastic-api-version': API_VERSIONS.public.v1,
+};
+
+function removeTrailingSlash(url: string) {
+  if (url.endsWith('/')) {
+    return url.slice(0, -1);
+  } else {
+    return url;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/__mocks__/conversations_schema.mock.ts b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/__mocks__/conversations_schema.mock.ts
index 7594839bd21b4..278dfc9fe829b 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/__mocks__/conversations_schema.mock.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/__mocks__/conversations_schema.mock.ts
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ export const getConversationSearchEsMock = () => {
   return searchResponse;
 };
 
-export const getCreateConversationSchemaMock = (): ConversationCreateProps => ({
+export const getCreateConversationSchemaMock = (
+  rest?: Partial<ConversationCreateProps>
+): ConversationCreateProps => ({
   title: 'Welcome',
   apiConfig: {
     actionTypeId: '.gen-ai',
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ export const getCreateConversationSchemaMock = (): ConversationCreateProps => ({
     },
   ],
   category: 'assistant',
+  ...rest,
 });
 
 export const getUpdateConversationSchemaMock = (
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/ai_assistant_data_clients/find.ts b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/ai_assistant_data_clients/find.ts
index 101354a6802b7..9f37e45250a9c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/ai_assistant_data_clients/find.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/ai_assistant_data_clients/find.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   AggregationsAggregationContainer,
   MappingRuntimeFields,
   Sort,
+  SearchResponse,
 } from '@elastic/elasticsearch/lib/api/types';
 import { ElasticsearchClient, Logger } from '@kbn/core/server';
 
@@ -27,6 +28,10 @@ interface FindOptions {
   runtimeMappings?: MappingRuntimeFields | undefined;
   logger: Logger;
   aggs?: Record<string, AggregationsAggregationContainer>;
+  mSearch?: {
+    filter: string;
+    perPage: number;
+  };
 }
 
 export interface FindResponse<T> {
@@ -47,6 +52,7 @@ export const findDocuments = async <TSearchSchema>({
   sortOrder,
   logger,
   aggs,
+  mSearch,
 }: FindOptions): Promise<FindResponse<TSearchSchema>> => {
   const query = getQueryFilter({ filter });
   let sort: Sort | undefined;
@@ -61,28 +67,78 @@ export const findDocuments = async <TSearchSchema>({
     };
   }
   try {
-    const response = await esClient.search<TSearchSchema>({
-      body: {
-        query,
-        track_total_hits: true,
-        sort,
-      },
-      _source: true,
-      from: (page - 1) * perPage,
+    if (mSearch == null) {
+      const response = await esClient.search<TSearchSchema>({
+        body: {
+          query,
+          track_total_hits: true,
+          sort,
+        },
+        _source: true,
+        from: (page - 1) * perPage,
+        ignore_unavailable: true,
+        index,
+        seq_no_primary_term: true,
+        size: perPage,
+        aggs,
+      });
+
+      return {
+        data: response,
+        page,
+        perPage,
+        total:
+          (typeof response.hits.total === 'number'
+            ? response.hits.total
+            : response.hits.total?.value) ?? 0,
+      };
+    }
+    const mSearchQueryBody = {
+      body: [
+        { index },
+        {
+          query,
+          size: perPage,
+          aggs,
+          seq_no_primary_term: true,
+          from: (page - 1) * perPage,
+          sort,
+          _source: true,
+        },
+        { index },
+        {
+          query: getQueryFilter({ filter: mSearch.filter }),
+          size: mSearch.perPage,
+          aggs,
+          seq_no_primary_term: true,
+          from: (page - 1) * mSearch.perPage,
+          sort,
+          _source: true,
+        },
+      ],
       ignore_unavailable: true,
       index,
-      seq_no_primary_term: true,
-      size: perPage,
-      aggs,
+    };
+    const response = await esClient.msearch<SearchResponse<TSearchSchema>>(mSearchQueryBody);
+    let responseStats: Omit<SearchResponse<TSearchSchema>, 'hits'> = {
+      took: 0,
+      _shards: { total: 0, successful: 0, skipped: 0, failed: 0 },
+      timed_out: false,
+    };
+    // flatten the results of the combined find queries into a single array of hits:
+    const results = response.responses.flatMap((res) => {
+      const mResponse = res as SearchResponse<TSearchSchema>;
+      const { hits, ...responseBody } = mResponse;
+      // assign whatever the last stats are, they are only used for type
+      responseStats = { ...responseStats, ...responseBody };
+      return hits?.hits ?? [];
     });
+
     return {
-      data: response,
+      data: { ...responseStats, hits: { hits: results } },
       page,
-      perPage,
-      total:
-        (typeof response.hits.total === 'number'
-          ? response.hits.total // This format is to be removed in 8.0
-          : response.hits.total?.value) ?? 0,
+      perPage: perPage + mSearch.perPage,
+      total: results.length,
     };
   } catch (err) {
     logger.error(`Error fetching documents: ${err}`);
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/ai_assistant_data_clients/index.ts b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/ai_assistant_data_clients/index.ts
index cc74e1f03d3d9..706e4444488d9 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/ai_assistant_data_clients/index.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/ai_assistant_data_clients/index.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ export class AIAssistantDataClient {
     filter,
     fields,
     aggs,
+    mSearch,
   }: {
     perPage: number;
     page: number;
@@ -108,6 +109,10 @@ export class AIAssistantDataClient {
     filter?: string;
     fields?: string[];
     aggs?: Record<string, estypes.AggregationsAggregationContainer>;
+    mSearch?: {
+      filter: string;
+      perPage: number;
+    };
   }): Promise<Promise<FindResponse<TSearchSchema>>> => {
     const esClient = await this.options.elasticsearchClientPromise;
     return findDocuments<TSearchSchema>({
@@ -121,6 +126,7 @@ export class AIAssistantDataClient {
       sortOrder: sortOrder as estypes.SortOrder,
       logger: this.options.logger,
       aggs,
+      mSearch,
     });
   };
 }
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/routes/user_conversations/create_route.ts b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/routes/user_conversations/create_route.ts
index f997121f95aa8..ea056f81e7c6c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/routes/user_conversations/create_route.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/routes/user_conversations/create_route.ts
@@ -54,23 +54,6 @@ export const createConversationRoute = (router: ElasticAssistantPluginRouter): v
           }
           const dataClient = await ctx.elasticAssistant.getAIAssistantConversationsDataClient();
 
-          const currentUser = ctx.elasticAssistant.getCurrentUser();
-          const userFilter = currentUser?.username
-            ? `name: "${currentUser?.username}"`
-            : `id: "${currentUser?.profile_uid}"`;
-          const result = await dataClient?.findDocuments({
-            perPage: 100,
-            page: 1,
-            filter: `users:{ ${userFilter} } AND title:${request.body.title}`,
-            fields: ['title'],
-          });
-          if (result?.data != null && result.total > 0) {
-            return assistantResponse.error({
-              statusCode: 409,
-              body: `conversation title: "${request.body.title}" already exists`,
-            });
-          }
-
           const createdConversation = await dataClient?.createConversation({
             conversation: request.body,
           });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/routes/user_conversations/find_route.ts b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/routes/user_conversations/find_route.ts
index 6a2c3afc41374..e7ce80039beb0 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/routes/user_conversations/find_route.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/elastic_assistant/server/routes/user_conversations/find_route.ts
@@ -61,13 +61,24 @@ export const findUserConversationsRoute = (router: ElasticAssistantPluginRouter)
           const userFilter = currentUser?.username
             ? `name: "${currentUser?.username}"`
             : `id: "${currentUser?.profile_uid}"`;
+
+          const MAX_CONVERSATION_TOTAL = query.per_page;
+          // TODO remove once we have pagination https://github.com/elastic/kibana/issues/192714
+          // do a separate search for default conversations and non-default conversations to ensure defaults always get included
+          // MUST MATCH THE LENGTH OF BASE_SECURITY_CONVERSATIONS from 'x-pack/plugins/security_solution/public/assistant/content/conversations/index.tsx'
+          const MAX_DEFAULT_CONVERSATION_TOTAL = 7;
+          const nonDefaultSize = MAX_CONVERSATION_TOTAL - MAX_DEFAULT_CONVERSATION_TOTAL;
           const result = await dataClient?.findDocuments<EsConversationSchema>({
-            perPage: query.per_page,
+            perPage: nonDefaultSize,
             page: query.page,
             sortField: query.sort_field,
             sortOrder: query.sort_order,
-            filter: `users:{ ${userFilter} }${additionalFilter}`,
+            filter: `users:{ ${userFilter} }${additionalFilter} and not is_default: true`,
             fields: query.fields,
+            mSearch: {
+              filter: `users:{ ${userFilter} }${additionalFilter} and is_default: true`,
+              perPage: MAX_DEFAULT_CONVERSATION_TOTAL,
+            },
           });
 
           if (result) {
diff --git a/x-pack/test/security_solution_cypress/cypress/e2e/ai_assistant/conversations.cy.ts b/x-pack/test/security_solution_cypress/cypress/e2e/ai_assistant/conversations.cy.ts
index c91ee7de475e3..4d87cce1fdaa8 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/security_solution_cypress/cypress/e2e/ai_assistant/conversations.cy.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/security_solution_cypress/cypress/e2e/ai_assistant/conversations.cy.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import {
   typeAndSendMessage,
   assertErrorResponse,
   selectRule,
-  assertErrorToastShown,
   updateConversationTitle,
 } from '../../tasks/assistant';
 import { deleteConversations } from '../../tasks/api_calls/assistant';
@@ -146,7 +145,7 @@ describe('AI Assistant Conversations', { tags: ['@ess', '@serverless'] }, () =>
       assertConnectorSelected(bedrockConnectorAPIPayload.name);
       assertMessageSent('goodbye');
     });
-    it('Correctly titles new conversations, and only allows one conversation called "New chat" at a time', () => {
+    it('Correctly creates and titles new conversations, and allows title updates', () => {
       visitGetStartedPage();
       openAssistant();
       createNewChat();
@@ -155,14 +154,7 @@ describe('AI Assistant Conversations', { tags: ['@ess', '@serverless'] }, () =>
       typeAndSendMessage('hello');
       assertMessageSent('hello');
       assertConversationTitle('Unexpected API Error:  - Connection error.');
-      updateConversationTitle('New chat');
-      selectConversation('Welcome');
-      createNewChat();
-      assertErrorToastShown('Error creating conversation with title New chat');
-      selectConversation('New chat');
-      updateConversationTitle('My other chat');
-      createNewChat();
-      assertNewConversation(false, 'New chat');
+      updateConversationTitle('Something else');
     });
   });
 });