Telegram is the perfect platform for fast, lightweight AI assistants. Using @BotFather, you can deploy a customized bot for your business in less than 5 minutes.
⏱️ Setup Time: 5 Minutes
✅ Difficulty: Very Easy
1 Phase 1: Talk to @BotFather
Everything in the Telegram bot ecosystem starts with the BotFather, the official administration bot.
- Open Telegram and search for
@BotFather. Ensure it has the blue verification checkmark. - Send the
/newbotcommand to start the creation process. - Choose a Display Name for your bot (e.g., "InitialChat Support").
- Choose a Username. This must be unique and end in "bot" (e.g., "InitialChat_AI_bot").
- Copy the HTTP API Token provided. This is your master key.
2 Phase 2: Customize Your Identity
To make your AI feel premium, give it a professional look directly through the Telegram interface.
- Send
/setuserpicto @BotFather and upload your company logo. - Send
/setabouttextto give users a clear idea of what the AI can do. - Send
/setdescriptionto provide details that appear when someone first opens the bot conversation.
3 Phase 3: Deploying at InitialChat
Now, bring your bot to life by connecting it to your AI engine.
- Go to your Integrations hub and find the Telegram card.
- Paste your Bot Token into the field.
- Enter your Bot Username (the one ending in "bot").
- Click Enable and then Save Changes.
🛠️ Pro Tip: Group Chat Support
"If you want your AI to respond in group chats, you must send /setprivacy to @BotFather and set it to DISABLED. This allows the bot to 'see' all messages in the group rather than just messages that @mention it directly."
