Skip to main content

How to set up the AI Assistant

The AI Support Assistant and AI Action Mode are already included and working for every studio on the Base + AI plan — there is nothing to set up. This guide covers the optional, advanced case: bringing your own API key with a specific AI provider instead of Agon's built-in, bundled assistant.

Before you start​

  • The AI Assistant is only available on the Base + AI plan. If your studio is on the base plan, Settings will show an upgrade prompt instead — see Terms of Service for billing details.
  • You don't need any of the steps below to use the AI Assistant. It works out of the box through Agon's own bundled, centrally metered service, at no extra setup and no extra cost beyond your subscription.
  • Only bring your own key if you specifically want to use your own account with a particular AI provider — for example, a provider account you already pay for separately, or one whose usage limits or data-handling terms suit your studio better than the bundled default.
  • Only the studio manager can configure this.
  • Read the Privacy and data use section below before bringing your own key — it explains what leaves your machine and why, and links to the full GDPR guidance.

Steps (optional — bring your own key)​

  1. In Agon, open Settings → AI Assistant.
  2. Click Advanced settings to expand it.
  3. Choose a provider from the dropdown. Agon currently supports:
    • Google Gemini — get a free key at Google AI Studio.
    • Groq — get a free key at the Groq console. [SCREENSHOT: The AI Assistant tab's Advanced settings, expanded, with the provider dropdown]
  4. Follow the "Get a provider API key" link next to the dropdown if you don't already have one for that provider, and copy the key. Treat it like a password — anyone with this key can make requests billed to your account with that provider.
  5. Paste the key into the API Key field and click Verify & Save.
  6. Agon verifies the key immediately against the provider you selected and confirms whether it's valid. Once verified, a Key active · provider badge replaces the form — the AI Assistant now runs through your own key instead of Agon's bundled service.

If you expect heavy use​

Each provider's free tier has its own daily/rate limits, generally shared across everything using that key. If your studio is large, or you turn on AI Action Mode for busy hours and expect to exceed the free quota, check that provider's own console for how to raise your limits (for Gemini, this means enabling billing on the key's Google Cloud project; for Groq, check the Groq console). Once a higher tier is enabled on the provider's side, the same key keeps working in Agon automatically — you don't need to generate a new key or reconfigure anything here.

The provider bills you directly for any usage beyond its free tier; Agon does not mark up or resell that usage.

Privacy and data use​

Bringing your own key means prompts and responses are sent directly to that provider under that provider's own terms, not Agon's bundled service's terms — review the provider you choose before turning this on:

  • Google Gemini: under Google's terms for the free API tier, prompts and responses may be used by Google to improve their products, which can include human review. This means client questions or data included in a prompt (for example, if a manager pastes client details into a support question) may be seen by Google in this process. Under Google's terms for paid usage (billing enabled on the key's project), prompts and responses are not used to train Google's models.
  • Groq: review Groq's own privacy and data-handling terms before choosing this provider — they differ from Google's and may change independently of this guide.

Because Agon's own client data lives locally on your machine (see Welcome to Agon), the only data that reaches the AI provider is what is included in a chat message you or your client types to the assistant, or what an AI Action Mode request needs to resolve a scheduling request. This is true whether you use Agon's bundled service or your own key — but with your own key, that data is governed by the provider's terms directly, not Agon's. Avoid pasting sensitive client data into the chat unless you've reviewed the implications for whichever service is active.

If you are subject to GDPR, using a third-party AI provider — Agon's bundled service or your own key — to process any personal data means that provider is a sub-processor of your studio. Read the GDPR guide for studio managers and consider your provider's data-handling terms if you plan to let staff or clients reference personal data in AI conversations.

What if something goes wrong?​

Agon says my key is invalid Double-check you copied the whole key with no extra spaces, and that you selected the matching provider in the dropdown — a Groq key won't validate against Gemini, and vice versa. Make sure the key hasn't been deleted or regenerated in that provider's console. If you just created it, wait a minute and try saving again — new keys can take a short time to become active.

I'm getting rate-limited constantly You're likely hitting your chosen provider's free-tier quota. Check that provider's own console for how to raise your limits (see "If you expect heavy use" above).

I don't see the AI Assistant tab in Settings Your studio is on the base plan, which doesn't include the AI Assistant. Contact us to upgrade — see Terms of Service.

I want to stop using my own key and go back to Agon's bundled service There is currently no self-service "remove key" action — contact us through the website for help reverting to the bundled default.

My key was working, now the AI Assistant is failing A configured key that stops working (revoked, expired, quota exhausted on the provider's side) is not automatically replaced by Agon's bundled service — the AI Assistant will show its usual graceful error message until the key issue is resolved. Re-run the setup steps above with a fresh key, or contact us for help reverting to the bundled default.