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AI Assistant Tutorial: Complete Beginner's Guide (2026)
2026-02-07•18 min read
Ready to set up your first AI assistant? This complete beginner's tutorial walks you through everything step by step — no coding experience required. By the end, you'll have a personal AI that remembers your conversations, sends emails, manages your calendar, and works right inside your favorite messaging app.
What You'll Build (And Why It's Different)
Before we start, let's be clear about what you're creating:
Not just another chatbot. ChatGPT is great for questions, but it forgets everything and can't take real actions. What we're building is different:
✓ Persistent memory — Remembers your projects, preferences, and past conversations
✓ Real actions — Actually sends emails, adds calendar events, sets reminders
✓ Works in messaging apps — Use it in Telegram, WhatsApp, or Discord
✓ Your data stays private — Runs on your computer, not someone else's servers
✓ Open source — Free software, pay only for AI usage (typically $10-25/month)
By the end of this tutorial, you'll have exactly this. Let's get started.
Prerequisites: What You Need
Hardware:
- Any computer (Mac, Windows, or Linux)
- 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended)
- Stable internet connection
Software (we'll install it together):
- Node.js (JavaScript runtime)
- OpenClaw (the AI assistant software)
Accounts you'll create:
- Anthropic API key (for Claude's brain — about $10-25/month usage-based)
- Telegram account (free — easiest to set up)
Time needed:
- 30-45 minutes for basic setup
- Additional time for optional integrations
Technical skill required:
- Can you copy and paste? Good, that's enough.
Don't worry if some of this sounds unfamiliar. I'll explain everything as we go.
Step 1: Open Your Terminal (2 minutes)
The terminal is where you'll type commands. It looks intimidating but you'll only use a few simple commands.
On Mac:
1. Press `Cmd + Space` to open Spotlight
2. Type "Terminal" and press Enter
3. A window with a command prompt appears
On Windows:
1. Press `Win + R`
2. Type "cmd" and press Enter
3. Or search for "Command Prompt" in the Start menu
On Linux:
1. Press `Ctrl + Alt + T`
2. Or search for "Terminal" in your applications
You should see: A window with a blinking cursor, waiting for your input. Something like:
`yourname@computer:~$`
Don't close this window — we'll use it for the entire tutorial.
Step 2: Install Node.js (5 minutes)
Node.js is the engine that runs your AI assistant. Installing it is straightforward.
On Mac (with Homebrew):
If you have Homebrew (most Mac developers do):
```bash
brew install node
```
If you don't have Homebrew, install it first:
```bash
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
```
Then install Node:
```bash
brew install node
```
On Windows:
1. Go to nodejs.org
2. Click the big green "Download" button (LTS version)
3. Run the downloaded installer
4. Click "Next" through the wizard, accepting defaults
5. Restart your Command Prompt after installation
On Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):
```bash
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs
```
Verify installation:
Type this in your terminal:
```bash
node --version
```
You should see something like `v22.x.x`. If you see a version number, you're ready!
Step 3: Get Your Anthropic API Key (5 minutes)
Your AI assistant needs a brain. That comes from Anthropic's Claude — one of the best AI models available.
Create an Anthropic account:
1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Click "Sign Up"
3. Enter your email and create a password
4. Verify your email
Get your API key:
1. Once logged in, click "API Keys" in the sidebar
2. Click "Create Key"
3. Give it a name like "My AI Assistant"
4. Copy the key immediately — you won't see it again!
Save it somewhere safe:
Paste the key into a notes app temporarily. It looks something like:
`sk-ant-api03-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx`
About costs:
- You'll add a credit card for pay-as-you-go billing
- Most personal users spend $10-25/month
- Much cheaper than ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) for equivalent or better capability
- You can set spending limits in the console
Step 4: Install OpenClaw (3 minutes)
Now the exciting part — installing your AI assistant software.
In your terminal, run:
```bash
npm install -g openclaw
```
This downloads and installs OpenClaw globally on your computer.
What happens:
- npm (Node Package Manager) downloads the software
- It installs to a global location so you can run it from anywhere
- You'll see a progress indicator as it downloads
If you see errors:
- "Permission denied": Try `sudo npm install -g openclaw` (Mac/Linux) and enter your password
- "npm not found": Node.js didn't install correctly — go back to Step 2
Verify installation:
```bash
openclaw --version
```
You should see a version number like `1.x.x`.
Step 5: Run the Setup Wizard (5 minutes)
OpenClaw has a friendly wizard that configures everything for you.
Start the wizard:
```bash
openclaw setup
```
The wizard will ask:
1. Where to store data?
Just press Enter to accept the default. This creates a folder for your AI's memory and settings.
2. Which AI provider?
Choose "Anthropic" (Claude) — it's the best for assistant tasks.
3. Your API key?
Paste the key you saved earlier (`sk-ant-api03-xxx...`)
4. Which messaging app?
Choose "Telegram" for this tutorial — it's the easiest to set up.
5. Basic preferences?
Answer a few questions about how you want your assistant to behave.
The wizard saves your configuration automatically. You're almost done!
Step 6: Create Your Telegram Bot (7 minutes)
Telegram is how you'll talk to your AI assistant. We need to create a bot account for it.
Open Telegram:
1. Open the Telegram app (download from telegram.org if needed)
2. Search for `@BotFather` (the official bot for creating bots)
3. Start a conversation with BotFather
Create your bot:
1. Send: `/newbot`
2. BotFather asks for a name: Type something like "My AI Assistant"
3. BotFather asks for a username: Must end in "bot", like `myai_helper_bot`
4. BotFather gives you a token that looks like: `1234567890:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz`
5. Copy this token!
Connect to OpenClaw:
```bash
openclaw setup telegram
```
Paste your bot token when asked.
Security note:
OpenClaw can restrict who can use your bot. When asked, you can:
- Allow only yourself (recommended for personal use)
- Add specific usernames
- Leave it open (not recommended)
Your Telegram bot is now connected to your AI assistant!
Step 7: Start Your AI Assistant (2 minutes)
The moment of truth — let's bring your assistant online.
Start the assistant:
```bash
openclaw start
```
You should see:
```
✓ Loading configuration...
✓ Connecting to Telegram...
✓ Gateway started!
✓ Ready to receive messages
```
Test it:
1. Open Telegram
2. Find your bot (search for the username you created)
3. Send: "Hello!"
4. Wait a few seconds...
5. 🎉 Your AI assistant responds!
Congratulations! You now have a personal AI assistant running on your computer.
Keep it running:
The assistant only works while this terminal window is open. To run it in the background:
```bash
openclaw start --daemon
```
This lets you close the terminal while keeping your assistant active.
Step 8: Test Core Features
Let's make sure everything works. Send these messages to your bot:
Test memory:
Send: "My name is [Your Name], remember that."
Then: "What's my name?"
→ It should remember!
Test reminders:
Send: "Remind me to take a break in 5 minutes"
→ You'll get a reminder in 5 minutes
Test knowledge:
Send: "What's the capital of Japan?"
→ Should answer correctly (Tokyo)
Test personality:
Send: "Tell me a joke"
→ Should respond with personality
Test follow-up:
Send: "Tell me more about that"
→ Should remember context from previous messages
If something doesn't work:
- Make sure OpenClaw is running (`openclaw status`)
- Check your API key is correct (`openclaw config show`)
- Try restarting: `openclaw restart`
troubleshooting guide
Customizing Your Assistant (Optional)
Your assistant works now, but you can personalize it.
Give it a name and personality:
```bash
openclaw config edit
```
Add a personality section:
```yaml
persona:
name: "Jarvis"
style: "Helpful and friendly, occasionally witty"
rules:
- "Be concise unless asked for details"
- "Use casual language"
- "Remember important details about me"
```
Save and restart:
```bash
openclaw restart
```
Teach it about you:
Just tell your assistant things you want it to remember:
- "I work at [Company] as a [Role]"
- "My wife's name is Sarah"
- "I prefer morning meetings"
- "I'm vegetarian"
It will remember and use this context appropriately.
Adding Email Integration (Optional)
Want your AI to help with email? Here's how.
Run email setup:
```bash
openclaw setup email
```
You'll need:
- Your email address
- IMAP server (incoming mail)
- SMTP server (outgoing mail)
- Your email password or app-specific password
For Gmail users:
1. Enable 2-factor authentication in Google settings
2. Create an "App Password" (Google "Gmail app password")
3. Use that password instead of your regular password
For Outlook/Microsoft:
Similar process — create an app password in Microsoft account settings.
What you can do:
- "Check my email"
- "Summarize unread emails from my boss"
- "Draft a reply declining politely"
- "Send an email to Sarah about the meeting"
Set up AI email assistant
Adding Calendar Integration (Optional)
Connect your calendar for scheduling superpowers.
Run calendar setup:
```bash
openclaw setup calendar
```
For Google Calendar:
1. You'll be prompted to authorize access
2. A browser window opens
3. Log in to Google and allow access
4. Calendar is now connected
For Apple Calendar:
Requires additional setup on Mac. The wizard will guide you.
What you can do:
- "What's on my calendar today?"
- "Schedule a meeting with John next Tuesday at 2pm"
- "When am I free this week?"
- "Move my 3pm to tomorrow"
Automate calendar with AI
Running 24/7 (Optional)
For your assistant to always be available, it needs to keep running.
Option 1: Daemon mode (simplest)
```bash
openclaw start --daemon
```
Runs in background. Survives closing terminal. Stops if computer restarts.
Option 2: System service (Mac — most reliable)
```bash
openclaw service install
```
Starts automatically when your Mac boots. Restarts if it crashes.
Option 3: Always-on computer
Dedicate a computer (old laptop, Mac mini) to running your assistant.
- Enable "Prevent from sleeping" in system settings
- Use Option 2 for auto-start
Reality check:
For most people, Option 1 (daemon mode) is enough. Start it when you turn on your computer, and it runs all day.
Self-hosted AI guide
What's Next?
You now have a working AI assistant! Here's how to get more out of it:
Essential reading:
10 ways I use my AI assistant daily
How AI memory works
OpenClaw vs ChatGPT
Add more integrations:
WhatsApp setup
Discord setup
Smart home control
Task management
Go deeper:
Self-hosting guide
Run AI completely locally
Private AI setup
Get help:
Troubleshooting
Documentation
→ Community Discord
The journey starts here:
Your AI assistant learns as you use it. The more you interact, the better it gets. Start with simple tasks, add integrations as you need them, and watch it transform your productivity.
Welcome to the future of personal AI.
Real People Using AI Assistants
“I followed this tutorial with zero coding experience and had my assistant running in 35 minutes. Now I can't imagine going back to ChatGPT.”
“The step-by-step format made it foolproof. I was worried about the technical stuff, but it's mostly copy-paste commands.”
“Started with just Telegram. Three months later I have email, calendar, and smart home connected. This tutorial was the perfect starting point.”
Ready to try it yourself?
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