PREDICTING SEARCH INTENT

The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing a search query. During operation, the system generates, based on one or more embedding layers in a machine learning model, input embeddings of the search query from a user of an online system. Next, the system applies one or more convolution layers in the machine learning model to the input embeddings to generate convolutional output from combinations of the input embeddings. The system then processes the convolutional output using one or more prediction layers in the machine learning model to produce a set of intent scores representing predicted likelihoods of a set of search intentions in the search query. Finally, the system performs a search of one or more verticals in the online system based on the search query and the set of intent scores.