Tips on how to construct an AI-powered automated workflow

For those who got down to enhance your AI fluency this yr, and you’ve got been utilizing AI instruments usually and comfortably, improbable. You are nicely in your approach towards your objective. For those who’re able to progress past submitting prompts manually, I like to recommend desirous about your work by an automation-first lens and constructing a Zap—what we name an automatic workflow—that has an AI step.

On this submit, I am going to clarify what AI-powered workflows are. I am going to additionally present you two methods to construct them—whether or not you employ ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any of the tons of of different AI apps we combine with. Let’s get to it.

Desk of contents

What’s an AI-powered Zap?

First, the fundamentals: Zaps are automated workflows which have at the least two steps. They want a set off, an occasion that begins the workflow. They usually want an motion, an occasion that routinely occurs after a set off (or after different actions).

An AI-powered Zap has at the least three steps. It nonetheless wants a set off, which is often adopted by an AI motion that by some means manipulates the information from the set off. Then, a follow-up motion sends that manipulated knowledge to a different app.

Here is one instance:

On this Zap, everytime you obtain an electronic mail that features a sure key phrase, Gemini will summarize the important thing factors of that electronic mail and add the abstract to a working checklist in a Google Doc of your alternative. You get a neat, scannable doc of no matter you need—like e-newsletter excerpts or crew updates. 

Need to construct this Zap your self? Skip forward to see how.

What you are able to do with AI steps

AI instruments are scary good at so many alternative sorts of duties. I write about AI all day lengthy, and even I battle with resolution paralysis when desirous about one of the simplest ways to pair AI with automation.

A useful framework I all the time come again to? AI excels at these 5 issues: analyzing, classifying, extracting, producing, and summarizing knowledge. Listed here are some examples of what that might appear like:

• Evaluation: Evaluating sentiment in buyer suggestions, figuring out tendencies in knowledge, assessing the urgency of help tickets

• Classification: Sorting emails into classes, tagging content material by matter, organizing leads by precedence stage

• Extraction: Pulling key particulars from invoices, grabbing motion objects from assembly notes, capturing dates and deadlines from messages

• Era: Drafting electronic mail responses, creating pictures from textual content descriptions, writing product descriptions from specs

• Summarization: Condensing lengthy emails into key factors, turning assembly transcripts into motion objects, distilling articles into highlights

For those who’re nonetheless unsure which automated workflows would profit from the addition of AI, ask your self these questions: What duties do I do repeatedly? What work drains my vitality? The place may delegating to AI free me as much as do work that really wants my artistic, human judgment?

Your solutions are going to level you to strong candidates for AI automation.

Tips on how to construct an AI-powered Zap

Let’s follow constructing these sorts of Zaps utilizing the instance I confirmed you within the earlier part: a workflow that connects Gmail, Gemini, and Google Docs. (However you’ll be able to be at liberty to switch Gemini with a unique app, like ChatGPT or Claude.)

To get began, click on into the Zap template under. If you wish to follow utilizing different apps, you can go straight to the Zap editor and start from scratch.

First, arrange your set off. For those who’re utilizing the Zap template, it will already be arrange for you. If not, choose Gmail as your app and New E mail Matching Search as your set off occasion, then join your account. Whenever you’re executed, click on Proceed.

You may be taken to the Configure tab. This Zap will solely set off if an electronic mail comprises a sure key phrase—and that is the place you will specify that key phrase. For a number of key phrases or to restrict your searches, use search operators. For instance:

• pressing OR ASAP (this finds emails containing both key phrase)

• in: newsletters (this limits the search to your “newsletters” mailbox)

• topic: “new assembly request” (this searches for this actual phrase in topic traces)

• from: junebug@woof.com (this finds emails from this particular sender)

I wish to filter for emails with “replace” within the topic line, so I configured that discipline accordingly.

Click on Proceed, then click on Check set off. Zapier will search for emails that match your search key phrases. Choose a take a look at report and click on Proceed with chosen report.

Now it is time to arrange your motion app. For those who’re utilizing the Zap template, it will already be executed for you. If not, seek for and choose Google AI Studio (Gemini) within the modal that seems. (Or no matter different app you are utilizing.) Select Ship Immediate as your motion occasion and join your account.

If it is your first time connecting your AI software to Zapier, click on Join a New Account. You may be prompted to enter your API key—the distinctive string of characters tied to your account.

Discovering your API key’s related throughout AI instruments, however for Gemini, it is particularly positioned at aistudio.google.com. When you’re there, go to the bottom-left nook, above your electronic mail handle, and click on Get API key. Decide a key when you have one arrange already. In any other case, click on Create API key.

A modal with two dropdown menus will seem. Give your key a reputation, assign it to a challenge, and click on Create key.

Copy the generated key, then return to Zapier and paste it into the sphere. Then click on Sure, Proceed to Google AI Studio (Gemini).

Again within the Zap editor, it is best to see your linked account. Click on Proceed.

Within the Configure tab, you’ll be able to modify just a few settings, together with your Mannequin and Immediate. I am going to go together with the most recent mannequin and write a fast immediate for summarizing an electronic mail. After the immediate, I must map the sphere to my earlier Gmail step, so Gemini truly has content material to work with.

To map knowledge, click on the plus signal (+) or kind a ahead slash (/) within the discipline, then choose the information you wish to map. (I am going to choose the physique of the e-mail, since that is what I need Gemini to summarize.)

You need to now see the mapped knowledge within the discipline.

Whenever you’re executed configuring your step, click on Proceed. You may see the information that’ll be despatched to your Gemini motion step when it runs. Click on Check step—it will present you the AI’s output. If you wish to tweak it, return to the Configure tab and play together with your immediate somewhat. For those who’re pleased with the outcome, it is time to add your final motion step.

For those who used a Zap template to construct this Zap, it will already be arrange for you. If not, click on the plus signal (+) underneath the Gemini motion step so as to add a brand new step. Decide Google Docs as your app and Append Textual content to Doc as your motion occasion, then join your account. Whenever you’re executed, click on Proceed.

From the Configure tab, you’ll be able to choose the doc you need your AI-generated abstract to write down to. And you may specify what, past that abstract, you wish to add. I wish to maintain a working checklist of crew updates, displaying the topic line and date of the e-mail earlier than the abstract—so I will fill out that discipline and map knowledge accordingly. This discipline helps HTML tags, so you’ll be able to modify your textual content to verify it seems precisely the best way you need it to.

Whenever you’re executed, click on Proceed. And within the subsequent tab, click on Check step. Verify the doc you created to ensure you see what you anticipated. Then, do not forget to click on Publish to let your Zap go reside.

Here is what my doc seems like:

Get inspiration with Zapier Copilot

What if you do not know what you wish to construct but? Zapier Copilot is ideal for this example. It’s our inbuilt AI-powered assistant, able to not simply constructing and configuring workflows, but additionally brainstorming ones for you too.

To get began, click on Ship this immediate to Copilot.

Alternatively, you’ll be able to go to your Zapier dashboard and supply Copilot with a extra particular request, comparable to:

• “Recommend AI-powered Zaps I can construct utilizing Slack, Gmail, and ChatGPT.”

• “What RevOps workflows can I construct with Claude?”

• “Present me AI workflow concepts primarily based on the apps I’ve linked.”

After you submit your request, Copilot will share some concepts with you.

Decide one and ask Copilot to construct it (you need to use pure language!). It could ask you some follow-up inquiries to study extra about what you wish to occur in your workflow. Or it will simply verify your request. When prompted, click on Proceed with Zap editor to let Copilot begin constructing.

Copilot will handle establishing the steps for you. You possibly can even chat with it to make changes or troubleshoot points. Simply bear in mind to check and publish your Zap once you’re executed.

Harness the facility of AI and automation

By automating with AI steps, you’ll be able to squeeze extra out of your favourite AI fashions, leveling up your fluency within the course of. As you construct your expertise, you will naturally progress to creating extra refined workflows. And with Copilot guiding you alongside the best way, you’ll be able to deal with advanced challenges with out even needing a developer. So, what is going to you automate first? 

This text was initially revealed in June 2023 by Elena Alston. It was most lately up to date in January 2026.