Build your own AI botthis weekend.
A private bot in the chat app you already use, then agents with their own inbox that work while you sleep. Every command, cost and safety setting spelled out. Free.
By Daniel Koren, founder of StartWise. I use these tools to run my company every day.- Your own AI botTelegram, WhatsApp, Slack or Discord, no code or about 40 lines
- An agent with its own inboxReceipts, signups and scheduling, draft-only sending
- An always-on assistantOpenClaw on a spare Mac or small server, locked down
- Keys, costs and safetySpending caps, allow lists and prompt-injection basics
Less of this.More of this.
How it works
Your first bot
In the chat app you already use, connected to the AI you pick.
Your instructions
A system prompt and a knowledge file, so it answers like you would.
Agents
Its own inbox, an always-on assistant, then the Agent SDK.
I use agents for research, outreach and content at StartWise. The first one takes an afternoon. The safety settings are what let you keep it running. These guides cover both.
Daniel KorenFounder, StartWiseQuestions
Is it really free?
The guides are free. Running a bot costs whatever the AI model charges per use. For light personal use that’s small, and the guide shows how to set a hard spending cap.
Do I need to code?
No for the first bot: there’s a no-code route. The code route is about 40 lines of Python, and the guide gives you all of it.
Why do you want my email?
To send you the guide and your AI path so you can come back to them. One click unsubscribes you.