# Build a personal AI assistant with Telegram and OpenAI: n8n workflow

> Started by an incoming Telegram message, and works across Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Sheets and Telegram.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/build-a-personal-ai-assistant-with-telegram-and-openai (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Scheduling](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Scheduling#library)

# Build a personal AI assistant with Telegram and OpenAI

Started by an incoming Telegram message, and works across Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Sheets and Telegram. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 17 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fbuild-a-personal-ai-assistant-with-telegram-and-openai)

**17 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**4** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Model 6 Service 10

The steps in the order they run, from what starts it.

- 1 **Telegram Trigger** Telegram trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **OpenAI Chat Model** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 3 **Contacts Data** Google Sheets Tool *Service*
- 4 **Create Event** Google Calendar Tool *Service*
- 5 **Create Event with Attendee** Google Calendar Tool *Service*
- 6 **Get Events** Google Calendar Tool *Service*
- 7 **Send Email** Gmail Tool *Service*
- 8 **Get Messages** Gmail Tool *Service*
- 9 **Get Projects** Google Sheets Tool *Service*
- 10 **Update Projects** Google Sheets Tool *Service*
- 11 **Wikipedia** Tool Wikipedia *Model*
- 12 **Hacker News** Hacker News Tool *Service*
- 13 **SerpAPI** Tool Serp Api *Model*
- 14 **Calculator** Tool Calculator *Model*
- 15 **Window Buffer Memory** Memory Buffer Window *Model*
- 16 **Personal Assistant** Agent *Model*
- 17 **Respond to Me** Telegram *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An incoming Telegram message
- **Steps:** 17
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Sheets, Telegram
- **Model:** OpenAI
- **Retrieval:** Answers are drawn from documents you supply, not from the model alone

## Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Sheets and Telegram accounts, and a key for OpenAI. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on an incoming Telegram message.

Does it use AI?

Yes. It calls OpenAI. Its answers draw on documents you give it, not on the model alone. Model calls are billed by the provider, not by n8n.

How long does it take to set up?

Plan an afternoon. 17 steps is enough that you should read each one before running it.

How do I import it?

Copy the workflow, open a new workflow in n8n and paste. The steps appear on the canvas, ready for your own accounts.

**Before you run it**

Nothing here has been tested by us. It is somebody's working automation, read and described from its own steps. Treat the connections it wants as a list of accounts it will touch, and read the 17 steps before you point it at anything that matters.

## Run it in n8n

- **Create your n8n account** Free to start. n8n is where the workflow runs. [Create an n8n account ↗](https://millionrounds.com/n8n)
- **Download the workflow** Free with a Millionrounds account. [Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fbuild-a-personal-ai-assistant-with-telegram-and-openai)
- **Paste it into n8n** Open a new workflow in n8n and paste. Then connect your own accounts.

Stored with the author's traces removed: canvas notes, instance identifiers, saved credential names and any live document they had left behind.

## Connects to

Each opens the other workflows that use it.

[Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Gmail#library)[Google Calendar](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Calendar#library)[Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Sheets#library)[Telegram](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Telegram#library)

## Workflows like it

Also scheduling, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**Automate HVAC service scheduling with Google Calendar** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Calendar](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-hvac-service-scheduling-with-google-calendar)
- [**Create meeting minutes from Telegram messages with OpenAI** 17 steps · calls a model · Airtable, Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/create-meeting-minutes-from-telegram-messages-with-openai)
- [**Handle Gmail reply-based scheduling with Google Calendar** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Calendar](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/handle-gmail-reply-based-scheduling-with-google-calendar)
- [**Predict disaster damage and coordinate property response** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Calendar](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/predict-disaster-damage-and-coordinate-property-response)
- [**Route meeting action items to Slack with Gmail and OpenAI** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/route-meeting-action-items-to-slack-with-gmail-and-openai)
- [**Run a Telegram voice and chat assistant with OpenAI and Gmail** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Calendar](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/run-a-telegram-voice-and-chat-assistant-with-openai-and-gmai)