Guide

BuildFire AI Chatbot Plugin

Step-by-step guide to setting up your AI Chatbot API key in BuildFire.

Overview

The AI Chatbot plugin lets you add ChatGPT-powered conversations to your app. To activate it, you'll need your own OpenAI API key.

Generate Your OpenAI API Key

1. Sign In to OpenAI

  • Go to platform.openai.com.
  • Log in or create a new OpenAI account.
  • If prompted, click Start Building to create your first organization.

2. Create a New Key

  • Click the Settings icon in the top-right corner.
  • In the left menu, click API keys.
  • Choose the organization where you want the key.
  • Click Create new secret key in the top right.
  • Select Owned by you (ties the key to your personal user) or Service account (creates a bot member you can share with teammates or automations).
  • Name the key, pick the project, and copy the key — you won't be able to see it again.

Configure the Plugin

3. Add Your Key in BuildFire

  • Open your app in the BuildFire control panel.
  • Launch the AI Chatbot plugin's settings.
  • Paste the key into the OpenAI API Key field.
  • Select how you want to provide your chatbot knowledge:
  • Custom Instructions: Add direct instructions from the BuildFire control panel to guide the assistant.
  • OpenAI Vector Store: Choose this option if you want the assistant to search files you uploaded to OpenAI before generating a response.
  • If you choose OpenAI Vector Store, paste your OpenAI Vector Store ID into the matching field in the plugin settings.
  • Select a model (e.g., gpt-3.5-turbo or gpt-4o).
  • Click Save Settings.

4. Create an OpenAI Vector Store (Optional)

OpenAI Vector Store is a hosted file search feature that lets the model search your uploaded files for relevant information before it responds. This is useful when you want your chatbot to answer questions using your own documents instead of only relying on custom instructions.

  • Sign in to your OpenAI dashboard.
  • In the left sidebar, go to Storage under the Manage section.
  • Open the Vector stores tab.
  • Click Create to make a new vector store.
  • Upload the files you want your chatbot to search.
  • Copy the vector store ID from the details panel. It starts with vs_.
  • Return to the BuildFire control panel, choose OpenAI Vector Store, and paste that ID into the OpenAI Vector Store ID field.

You can manage your vector stores directly in OpenAI here.

Design the Chat Experience

In the Design tab you can change the chat title, placeholder text, button label, and colors to match your app's theme. When you're done, click Save Design Settings.

Security Reminder

Keep your OpenAI key private. If it becomes compromised, delete it on the OpenAI site and create a new one.