AI Assistants
Using OpenAI Assistants in Aimogen Pro, how they differ from models and personas, and where an assistant can be selected.
An Assistant is an OpenAI construct: a persistent configuration with its own instructions, model, files and functions. Aimogen Pro can create, manage and use them.
Advanced Tools › AI Assistants
This tutorial was recorded before Aiomatic was renamed to Aimogen Pro. Some labels or interface elements may differ slightly from the current version.
Requirements#
An OpenAI API key. The screen says so directly: only the OpenAI API is supported for the Assistants API. Azure works if you have an Assistants deployment configured — see Microsoft Azure OpenAI.
Creating an assistant#
Add New Assistant
| Field | What it is |
|---|---|
Assistant Name | Required. How it appears in selectors |
Assistant Model | Required. Which model it uses |
Assistant Description | What it is for |
Assistant Context Prompt | Its instructions — the equivalent of a system prompt |
Assistant First Message | Opening message when used as a chatbot |
Assistant Avatar | Avatar image |
Assistant Files | Files it can search |
Assistant Functions | Functions it may call |
Code Interpreter | Whether it can run code |
Assistant OpenAI ID | The OpenAI-side ID |
Assistant Local ID | The WordPress-side ID |
Assistants are stored as aiomatic_assistants posts, and a set of examples plus a persona library is
imported on first activation.
Backup/Restore Assistants exports and imports them as JSON, which is how you move a tested assistant between sites.
Where an assistant can be used#
Almost anywhere a model can be selected — the writer, each rule stage, the chatbot, the editor, forms,
[aicontent], embeddings, internet access and OmniBlocks.
Assistants versus alternatives#
| Assistant | Persona | Plain model plus prompt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider | OpenAI only | Any | Any |
| Instructions live | At OpenAI | In WordPress | In the prompt field |
| File search | Built in | Via embeddings | Via embeddings |
| Code interpreter | Yes | No | No |
| Portable between providers | No | Yes | Yes |
| Visitor can switch | No | Yes | n/a |
Use an assistant for its file search or code interpreter, or if you already maintain assistants at OpenAI.
Use a persona for chatbot identities, provider portability and visitor switching.
Use a plain model and prompt for everything else. It is the simplest thing that works.
Files#
Manage Assistant Files uploads files an assistant can search. This is OpenAI-side retrieval, separate from the plugin embeddings system.
| Assistant files | Plugin embeddings | |
|---|---|---|
| Stored at | OpenAI | Your chosen vector store |
| Works with | OpenAI only | Any provider |
| Namespaces | No | Yes |
| Indexes WordPress content automatically | No | Yes |
For a WordPress knowledge base, plugin embeddings are the better fit. For a set of PDFs an assistant should know, assistant files are simpler.
Functions#
Assistant Functions defines functions the assistant may call, handled through the plugin
tool calling system.
Token limits#
Assistant Max Prompt Token and Assistant Max Completion Token
(Settings › Advanced AI Settings) bound assistant runs, which is worth setting because assistant runs
can otherwise consume a lot of context.
Threads#
Conversations with an assistant use OpenAI threads. Filters let you control thread selection:
| Filter | Purpose |
|---|---|
aiomatic_thread_id | Choose the thread |
aiomatic_thread_id_try_fix | Recover from an invalid thread |
aiomatic_assistant_id_custom_logic | Choose the assistant dynamically |
aiomatic_assistant_id_fallback | Fall back when unavailable |
aiomatic_local_assistant_id_id_fallback | The local-ID equivalent |
See Filter reference.
Common problems#
The Assistants screen says OpenAI only. No OpenAI key configured.
An assistant does not appear in a selector. It was created at OpenAI but not synced, or the model it uses is no longer available.
The model selector is greyed out. Expected — an assistant is selected.
File search returns nothing. Files are still processing at OpenAI, or the assistant does not have retrieval enabled.
Related#
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and include the diagnostics from Aimogen Pro › System & Logs › System Info.