AI Assistant Tutorial: Complete Beginner's Guide (2026)

Ready to set up your first AI assistant? This complete tutorial walks you through everything step by step. No coding experience required. By the end, you'll have your own personal AI running and accessible from your phone.

What You're Building

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have:

• An AI assistant that runs 24/7
• Access via Telegram (or WhatsApp)
• Memory that persists across conversations
• The ability to set reminders, draft emails, and more

Total time: About 30 minutes.

Prerequisites

You'll need:

• A computer (Mac, Windows, or Linux)
• A Telegram account (free)
• An Anthropic API key (we'll get this together)
• Basic ability to copy/paste commands

That's it. No coding required.

Part 1: Get Your API Key

Your AI assistant needs access to an AI model. We'll use Claude from Anthropic.

Step 1: Create an Anthropic Account

1. Go to console.anthropic.com
2. Sign up with your email
3. Verify your email address

Step 2: Add Credits

1. Go to Settings > Billing
2. Add a payment method
3. Add $10-20 in credits (this will last weeks or months for personal use)

Step 3: Generate Your API Key

1. Go to Settings > API Keys
2. Click "Create Key"
3. Name it "OpenClaw"
4. Copy the key somewhere safe — you'll need it soon

Part 2: Install OpenClaw

Option A: Mac Users

Open Terminal and run:

brew install openclaw/tap/openclaw

That's it. Homebrew handles everything.

Option B: Windows/Linux (npm)

Make sure Node.js is installed, then:

npm install -g openclaw

Option C: Docker

If you prefer containers:

docker pull ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw:latest

Part 3: Initial Configuration

Create Your Config File

Run:

openclaw init

This creates a configuration folder with default settings.

Add Your API Key

Open ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json in any text editor.

Find the line for your Anthropic key and add it:

{
  "model": {
    "provider": "anthropic",
    "apiKey": "sk-ant-your-key-here"
  }
}

Test the Setup

Run:

openclaw

You should see OpenClaw start up. Try typing "Hello" — if you get a response, everything's working.

Part 4: Connect to Telegram

This is where it gets fun. Let's make your assistant accessible from your phone.

Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot

1. Open Telegram and search for "@BotFather"
2. Send /newbot
3. Choose a name (e.g., "My Assistant")
4. Choose a username ending in "bot" (e.g., "myassistant_bot")
5. Copy the API token BotFather gives you

Step 2: Configure the Channel

Edit your ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json:

{
  "channels": {
    "telegram": {
      "botToken": "your-telegram-bot-token"
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Start OpenClaw

Run:

openclaw

Now open Telegram and message your bot. You should get responses!

Part 5: Customize Your Assistant

Set Up Your Preferences

Create a file at ~/.openclaw/USER.md:

# About Me

Name: [Your name]
Location: [Your city]
Work: [What you do]

# Preferences

- Be concise in responses
- Use metric units
- Default timezone: [Your timezone]

Your assistant will remember these details.

Create Your First Reminder

Try texting your bot:

"Remind me to call mom tomorrow at 3pm"

If reminders are working, you'll get a confirmation — and a message tomorrow at 3pm.

Part 6: Keep It Running

Your assistant should run 24/7 to be useful. Here's how:

Mac: Use Screen

screen -S openclaw
openclaw
# Press Ctrl+A, then D to detach

Linux VPS: Use systemd

Create /etc/systemd/system/openclaw.service:

[Unit]
Description=OpenClaw AI Assistant

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/openclaw
Restart=always
User=openclaw

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Then:

sudo systemctl enable openclaw
sudo systemctl start openclaw

Raspberry Pi

Same as Linux — OpenClaw runs great on a Pi 4.

Part 7: What to Try First

Now that your assistant is running, try these:

Task Management

• "Add to my to-do: finish the report"
• "What's on my to-do list?"
• "Mark the report task as done"

Scheduling

• "What's my day look like tomorrow?"
• "Remind me about the meeting in 2 hours"

Information

• "What's the weather in New York?"
• "Summarize the latest news about [topic]"

Brainstorming

• "Help me come up with names for my project"
• "What are the pros and cons of remote work?"

Troubleshooting

Bot Not Responding

1. Check OpenClaw is running (ps aux | grep openclaw)
2. Verify your Telegram token is correct
3. Make sure you're messaging the right bot

API Errors

1. Check your Anthropic credits
2. Verify your API key is correct
3. Check your internet connection

Slow Responses

Normal for complex queries. If consistently slow:

• Check your internet connection
• Consider a faster model for simple tasks

Next Steps

You now have a working AI assistant! Here's what to explore next:

1. Add more channels — WhatsApp, Discord, or web interface
2. Install skills — Extend capabilities with plugins
3. Customize memory — Set up persistent memory for context
4. Optimize costs — Use cheaper models for routine tasks

---

Congrats on setting up your AI assistant! Need help? Join the OpenClaw community or try OpenClaw Cloud for a managed experience.