# Use a widget's AI button

> The sparkle on a widget's title bar opens that widget's own AI, which drafts to-dos, notes, branches, a page or a web address for you to approve.

Source: https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-ai
Section: Widgets > Widget basics
Plans: All plans
Updated: 2026-10-10

The first button on a widget's title bar is the AI button, a small sparkle. It does a different job on each widget, in that widget's own terms. On a sticky it drafts to-dos. On a mind map it suggests branches. On a browser it works out which site you mean. On a table it proposes columns and then rows.

Rest the pointer on the button to see what it will do for the widget in front of you. Whatever the AI drafts, nothing changes on your desk until you approve it.

This is different from Plexii, the assistant you talk to in its own panel. A widget's AI works on that one widget only. See [Meet Plexii, your assistant](https://plexiidesk.com/help/ai-assistant).

## Before you start

- **AI must be set up.** Widget AI runs on PlexiDesk's AI credits when you are signed in, or on your own Anthropic key. See [AI credits and where your AI runs](https://plexiidesk.com/help) and [Add your own API keys](https://plexiidesk.com/help/api-keys).
- **Every plan** includes the AI button.
- **Give it something to go on.** The AI drafts from what the desk is about: the desk's name and notes, the widget's name, and the other widgets on the desk. For a list, it also reads what is already in the widget. A desk called Q4 launch plan gets better suggestions than one called Untitled.

## What the button does on each widget

The button's label changes once a widget has something in it.

| Widget | When empty | When it has content | What the AI drafts |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sticky | **Write with AI** | **Rewrite with AI** | To-dos, added as tickable checklist items |
| Note | **Write with AI** | **Rewrite with AI** | Notes, one per line |
| Markdown | **Write with AI** | **Rewrite with AI** | Points, added as bullets |
| Card | **Write with AI** | **Rewrite with AI** | Points for the card's body; use it on a new, empty card |
| Page | **Write with AI** | **Rewrite with AI** | A whole page: headings, then sections under them |
| Mind map | **Build with AI** | **Rebuild with AI** | Branches |
| Diagram | **Build with AI** | **Rebuild with AI** | Shapes (nodes) |
| Browser | **Find with AI** | **Change with AI** | The web address you meant |
| Table | **AI** | **AI** | Columns, then rows to match them |

The tooltip pairs the label with what the AI will do, for example **Write with AI — Draft the to-dos from what this desk is about**.

## Draft with a widget's AI

These steps work for the Sticky, Note, Markdown, Card, Page, Mind map, Diagram and Browser widgets.

1. Click the AI button on the widget's title bar. On an empty widget, you can instead click the **Set up with AI** chip at the bottom of the widget.
2. The **Set up with AI** panel opens and starts drafting straight away. You see **Drafting suggestions** while it works.
3. Look at what it proposes:
   - For a list, such as a sticky's to-dos or a mind map's branches, you see **Proposed** followed by what they are, such as to-dos, notes, points, branches or nodes. Every item starts ticked. Untick any you do not want.
   - For a page, you see a short summary and the **Page outline**: the headings the page will have.
   - For a browser, you see a short summary and **Open this address** with the web address.
4. To steer the draft, type what you want in the box at the top (**Optional: tell the AI what to focus on, then press Enter**), then press `Enter` or click **Redraft**. You can do this as many times as you like.
5. Click **Add** (it shows how many items are ticked, such as **Add 5**) or, for a page or a browser, **Set up**. To close without changing anything, click **Cancel** or click outside the panel.



### What happens when you approve

- **Sticky, Note and Markdown.** The items you ticked are added below what is already there. Nothing you wrote is changed or removed.
- **Card.** The points become the card's body.
- **Mind map.** The branches are added to the main idea.
- **Diagram.** The shapes are added to the diagram, laid out so they do not overlap. Connect them the way you want.
- **Page.** The draft becomes the page's content, replacing what was there. To add to a page you have already written, use the page's own **AI draft** button instead. See [Page widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-page).
- **Browser.** The widget opens the web address.

The AI only ever changes the widget you started it from.

## Build with AI from the right-click menu

On a Sticky, Note, Markdown, Card, Mind map or Diagram, you can also right-click the title bar and choose **Build with AI**. It opens the same **Set up with AI** panel.

## A table's AI

On a Table, the AI button opens the table's own assistant, **AI assistant — columns and rows**, inside the table. It proposes columns, which you can rename, add to or remove, and then generates rows to match them. Nothing is written until you accept it.

You can also open it from the AI buttons beside the add-column plus and beside **Add row**, or by right-clicking the title bar and choosing **Generate columns and rows with AI…**. See [Build a table with AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-ai).

## Widgets that open Plexii

On a widget without an AI of its own, the button opens the Plexii panel so you can ask about the widget or ask for a change.

- On widgets Plexii can read, such as Tasks, Calendar, Metrics, Stat card, Gallery, Contacts, Map, Field, Custom block, Document, Spreadsheet, Slides, Flowchart, Design and Artwork, the widget is attached to your message. See [Point Plexii at specific things with @](https://plexiidesk.com/help).
- On widgets with nothing for Plexii to read, such as Timer, Calc, Color and Shape, the panel opens without it.

The Document, Spreadsheet, Slides, Flowchart and Design widgets also have AI inside their editors, which writes straight into the file. See [Draft and rewrite with AI in PlexiDocs](https://plexiidesk.com/help), [Insights and questions about your sheet](https://plexiidesk.com/help), [AI in PlexiSlides](https://plexiidesk.com/help), [Start a diagram from a template or AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help) and [Generate designs and copy with AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## When Plexii hands a change to a widget

When you ask Plexii to change a widget, it may suggest letting that widget's own AI do it. The proposal card reads **Ask**, followed by the widget and what you asked for.

For a Sticky, Note, Markdown, Card, Page, Mind map, Diagram or Browser, approving the card opens that widget's **Set up with AI** panel. Type what you want in the box at the top, press `Enter`, then tick what to add and click **Add** or **Set up**. See [Review and apply Plexii's changes](https://plexiidesk.com/help).

## Tips

- **Name the widget first.** A sticky named Launch checklist gets more useful to-dos than one with no name.
- **Write a few words in the desk's notes.** The AI reads them as background.
- **Redraft rather than starting again.** The focus box keeps the panel open, so you can try a different angle in seconds.
- **Run it more than once.** On a Sticky, Note, Markdown, Mind map or Diagram, each run adds to what is there, so you can build a widget up in steps.

## Common questions

**There is no Set up with AI chip on my widget.** The chip only appears while a widget is empty, and disappears once the widget has something in it. Use the AI button on the title bar instead.

**The panel shows a message instead of suggestions.** Usually AI is not set up yet. Sign in to use PlexiDesk's AI credits, or add your own Anthropic key in **Settings** > **AI**. Then click **Redraft**.

**The suggestions do not fit what I am doing.** Type a short instruction in the focus box, such as only things for the design team, and press `Enter`. Giving the desk and the widget clear names also helps.

**Does the AI button change other widgets?** No. It only changes the widget you opened it from, and only after you approve.

## Related tasks

- [AI Assist: rewrite, summarise and translate text](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-ai-assist)
- [The controls on every widget](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-title-bar)
- [Build a table with AI](https://plexiidesk.com/help/widget-table-ai)
- [Add a widget to a desk](https://plexiidesk.com/help/add-a-widget)
- [Review and apply Plexii's changes](https://plexiidesk.com/help)