Automation library · AI assistants

Create a Paul Graham essay Q&A system with OpenAI and Milvus

Started by someone opening a chat with it. It calls services over plain HTTP rather than through connectors. 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.

MediumCalls a model: OpenAIRetrieval

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17 stepsMedium: a working afternoon
0Branches: places the flow splits
0Loops or waits
0Services by connector: it calls them over plain HTTP

The flow

Starts it 2Model 9Logic 4Service 2

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

  1. 1OpenAI Chat ModelLm Chat Open AiModel
  2. 2When clicking "Execute Workflow"Manual triggerStarts it
  3. 3When chat message receivedChat triggerStarts it
  4. 4Embeddings OpenAIEmbeddings Open AiModel
  5. 5Recursive Character Text SplitterText Splitter Recursive Character Text SplitterModel
  6. 6Embeddings OpenAI1Embeddings Open AiModel
  7. 7Q&A Chain to Retrieve from Milvus and Answer QuestionChain Retrieval QaModel
  8. 8Fetch Essay ListHttp RequestService
  9. 9Milvus Vector StoreVector Store MilvusModel
  10. 10Default Data LoaderDocument Default Data LoaderModel
  11. 11Milvus Vector Store1Vector Store MilvusModel
  12. 12Extract essay namesHtmlLogic
  13. 13Milvus Vector Store RetrieverRetriever Vector StoreModel
  14. 14Split out into itemsSplit OutLogic
  15. 15Limit to first 3LimitLogic
  16. 16Fetch essay textsHttp RequestService
  17. 17Extract Text OnlyHtmlLogic

How it's built

Starts on
Someone opening a chat with it
Steps
17
Size
Medium: a working afternoon
Connects to
Nothing by connector; it calls services over plain HTTP
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, and a key for OpenAI. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on someone opening a chat with it.

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.