AI Credential Assistant
Setting up a connection with the AI Credential Assistant is like having a knowledgeable friend sit beside you and read the instructions out loud while you follow along. You tell it what you want to connect, it looks up how that service works, and then it builds a step-by-step guide that walks you through the whole setup. A credential is the saved sign-in details Nirvai uses to act on your behalf with another service.
Image: The AI Credential Assistant showing the chat view with a progress timeline and setup steps
When to use the AI assistant
| Your situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Connecting a popular service (Gmail, Slack, HubSpot) | A template or the AI assistant |
| Connecting a service with no ready-made template | AI assistant |
| Not sure what kind of connection you need | AI assistant |
| You want a guided walkthrough with exact steps | AI assistant |
| Connecting Meta platforms (WhatsApp, Instagram) | Meta Credentials |
| You already know all the technical details | A template or manual setup |
Step-by-step
1. Start a session
- Go to Credentials from the sidebar.
- Click the "AI-Assisted Setup" card.
- You'll land on a page with service cards — click one to get started, or type a message describing what you want to connect:
- "I want to connect Google Sheets"
- "I need to set up Shopify"
- "Help me connect to our company's system"
2. Chat with the AI
The assistant starts a short conversation to understand what you need. If your request could mean a few different things (for example, a service that offers more than one way to sign in), it asks a quick clarifying question right in the chat.
3. The AI researches the service
The assistant reads the service's official help pages to figure out exactly how to connect it — what sign-in method to use, what permissions your agent will need, and which links and fields you'll have to fill in.
While it works, a progress timeline appears in the chat showing each stage: understanding your needs, researching, reading the documentation, setting things up, and building your guide.
4. Your guided steps appear
When research is done, an "Open Setup Guide" card appears in the chat and the page switches to the Steps view — a step-by-step guide made just for the service you're connecting.
Each step can include:
| Element | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Instructions | Plain directions telling you exactly what to do |
| Resource links | Direct links to the service's website, dashboard, or help pages |
| Copy fields | Pre-filled values you can copy with one click |
| Secret fields | Secure boxes where you enter your private codes and passwords |
| Permission tags | A simple way to add or remove the permissions your agent will need |
| Notes | Important reminders (for example, "this code is only shown once") |
| Connect button | The final action that creates your credential |
5. Fill in your details and connect
Work through each step, filling in what's asked. The AI has already filled in any technical fields it could work out from its research — you only need to provide the private items that only you have, like a password or a private code from the service.
When you're ready, click the Connect card on the final step:
- For most connection types, your credential is created right away.
- For sign-in connections (the "Log in with…" kind), a pop-up opens so you can approve the connection on the service's own site. The page waits for the pop-up to close, then finishes.
6. You're done
After it's created, a completion screen appears with:
- A confirmation that your credential was created
- A card showing the credential's details (name, type, status)
- Buttons to Keep working with AI, Go to Credentials, or Create Tools
Finding your way around the page
A small navigation bar at the top lets you switch between views:
| Element | What it does |
|---|---|
| ← Back | Return to the Credentials page |
| Service badge | Shows the service you're connecting and how |
| Chat tab | Switch to the conversation |
| Steps tab | Switch to the guided steps (shows your progress, like "2/4") |
| Restart | Start over with a fresh session (clears your current progress) |
| ✕ Close | Return to the Credentials page |
You can switch between Chat and Steps anytime. Click "Back to chat" in the Steps sidebar to ask a follow-up question, then jump back to your steps.
Connecting more than one service
You can set up several credentials in one session. After finishing one:
- Click "Keep working with AI" on the completion screen.
- Tell the AI what you'd like to connect next.
- A new set of steps is built for it.
Each credential shows up as its own card in the Steps sidebar, so you can move between them. Finished ones show a checkmark and are dimmed.
Picking up where you left off
Sessions save automatically. If you leave and come back:
- Go to Credentials from the sidebar.
- Look for the "In Progress" section near the top of the page.
- Click the session card to continue.
Your conversation, anything you've already filled in, and your generated steps are all kept. If you had steps left to finish, the page opens straight to the Steps view.
Starting over
If you'd rather start fresh:
- Click the Restart button in the navigation bar.
- Confirm in the dialog that appears.
- Everything is cleared — the conversation, the steps, and any half-finished credential.
- A new session begins.
How long it usually takes
| Connection type | What you'll do | Roughly how long |
|---|---|---|
| Private code (API key) | Sign in, create a code, connect | 5–8 minutes |
| Access pass (token) | Set up your account, get a pass, connect | ~5 minutes |
| Username and password | Set up your account, enter your details, connect | ~5 minutes |
| "Log in with…" sign-in | Set up, turn on access, approve the sign-in, connect | 10–15 minutes |
Services the AI can't set up
A few services connect to Nirvai a special way and can't be set up through the AI assistant. If you ask for one, the AI points you to the right place instead:
| Service | Where to set it up |
|---|---|
| Credentials → Meta → WhatsApp | |
| Credentials → Meta → Instagram | |
| Facebook Messenger | Credentials → Meta → Messenger |
| Meta Lead Ads | Credentials → Meta → Lead Ads |
For these, use the Meta Credentials setup instead.
Tips for the best results
- Say what you want to do, not just the service name — "I want to send emails via Gmail" works better than just "Gmail".
- Let the AI research first. The progress timeline shows what it's doing — wait for the steps to appear before acting.
- Enter private details in the steps, not in the chat. Your private codes and passwords go in the secure boxes inside the guided steps, never in the chat.
- Ask questions anytime. Switch back to chat if you're stuck — the AI can answer things like "Where do I find this?" without losing your place in the steps.
- Use the permission tags. For "Log in with…" connections, the AI suggests the right permissions, and you can add or remove them in the steps.
What's next
Once your credential is created, continue to Using Credentials with Tools to connect it to your agent.