Surface Kit AI is a WordPress chatbot plugin for site owners who want to answer visitor questions automatically, whether or not they want to use AI.
It can run a chat assistant powered by an outside AI service, a simple FAQ bot built from answers the site owner writes, or both at once. It suits small businesses, restaurants, clinics, online stores and anyone who wants visitors to get instant answers about hours, prices, policies or products.
For the AI side, the plugin connects to a provider such as OpenAI (the models behind ChatGPT), Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, or any OpenAI-compatible service, including self-hosted models run through tools like Ollama or LM Studio. The site owner supplies their own API key from that provider and describes their business once; the AI then uses that information to write replies.
Those replies appear in a floating chat bubble, a dedicated chat page, or both, directly on the WordPress site. The separate simple assistant needs no API key and runs entirely in the visitor’s browser, matching typed questions to answers written in advance.
A guided setup wizard opens right after activation and walks through choosing an assistant type, describing the business with ready-made examples, connecting a provider if AI is used, and placing the chat on the site, all without writing code.
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Key Features of Surface Kit AI
Chat Features and Setup
Three ways to chat. Add a floating AI chat bubble, a dedicated full-page chat at an address you choose, a browser-based FAQ bot with tap-to-ask buttons, or any combination of the three.
Guided setup wizard. A step-by-step wizard asks what kind of assistant is wanted, helps describe the business using examples for a restaurant, shop or clinic, connects a provider, and places the chat on the site in a few minutes.
Switch assistant type anytime. Change between an AI assistant, a no-AI simple assistant, or both from the settings screen, with each feature keeping its own settings for when you switch back.
AI Providers and Models
Wide provider choice. Connect OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, any OpenAI-compatible API with one-click presets for services such as OpenRouter, Groq, DeepSeek and Mistral, or a self-hosted model run through Ollama, LM Studio, vLLM or llama.cpp.
Model picker by cost tier. Recommended models are shown as cards labelled lowest cost, balanced or best answers, so a model can be chosen without needing to know every model name; a custom model name or the live list from your account can also be used.
Separate AI per feature. The chat bubble and the full-page chat can each use their own provider, model and key instead of sharing the main connection, for example a cheaper model for the bubble and a stronger one for the full chat page.
Business knowledge and tone. Write what the assistant should know, such as hours, prices, delivery and booking rules, plus notes on tone, and the AI uses this on every reply, saying plainly when a question falls outside it.
Control, Privacy and Insights
Usage limits per visitor. Rate limits can be set per 10 minutes, per hour and per day for AI messages, along with caps on reply length and how many earlier messages are remembered, keeping provider usage predictable.
Privacy-focused by default. API keys are encrypted, requests run from the server rather than the visitor’s browser, no cookies or third-party scripts are loaded, and conversation storage stays off unless turned on, with old conversations deleted after a chosen number of days.
Visitor-friendly placement. The chat bubble can be shown on chosen pages, opened automatically after a delay or scroll, placed in a corner with a chosen color and icon, and conversations carry over as visitors move between pages.
Conversation insights. When storage is switched on, a dashboard screen shows chats per day, totals, average conversation length and which feature was used, with full transcripts available to review or delete.
How to Install Surface Kit AI
Step 1: Install the plugin. In the WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin, search for Surface Kit AI, then click Install Now followed by Activate.
Step 2: Follow the setup wizard. The setup wizard opens automatically after activation and asks whether you want an AI assistant, a simple assistant, or both.
Step 3: Describe your business. Enter details such as hours, prices, policies and products, or start from one of the provided examples for a restaurant, shop or clinic.
Step 4: Choose where the chat appears. Pick a floating chat bubble, a full-page chat at an address you choose, or both, and set basic appearance options.
Step 5: Connect an AI provider (AI only). Paste an API key from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or another compatible service, pick a model, and click Check it works to confirm the connection.
Step 6: Go live and adjust later. Finish the wizard to put the assistant live, then return anytime to Surface Kit AI > Settings to adjust features or to Surface Kit AI > Dashboard to rerun the wizard.
Good to Know About Surface Kit AI
The plugin requires no coding or page builder, and works alongside WooCommerce and standard themes without reading product catalogues or order data. AI replies are generated by the chosen provider, which bills API usage separately from any of its consumer subscriptions, so the site owner pays that provider directly using their own key.
According to the documentation, keys are encrypted using the site’s own security salts, no cookies or third-party scripts are added, and stored conversations, when enabled, exclude page addresses, accounts and IP addresses.
Rate limiting keeps only a temporary, one-way hash of a visitor’s IP for up to a day. Uninstalling the plugin removes all of its database tables and options, including stored conversations and keys.
Download Surface Kit AI on WordPress.org