IT'S FINALLY HERE! Heptabase AI Chat!
Remember when you had to jump between multiple apps just to brainstorm ideas, take notes, and chat with AI? Those days are officially over.
Remember when you had to jump between multiple apps just to brainstorm ideas, take notes, and chat with AI? Those days are officially over. Heptabase just dropped one of their highly anticipated AI Chat feature, and honestly, it's about time.
As someone who's been closely following Heptabase's development and even compared it to other note-taking platforms like Noteey Desktop Pro recently, I had one major criticism: the lack of conversational AI functionality. Well, the Heptabase team clearly listened because they've just delivered exactly what power users have been requesting.
What Makes Heptabase AI Chat Different?
Unlike other AI chat implementations that feel tacked on, Heptabase has integrated their chat system directly into their visual thinking platform. This isn't just another ChatGPT clone - it's a thoughtfully designed feature that enhances your entire knowledge management workflow.
Two Types of Chat for Maximum Flexibility
Heptabase offers two distinct chat modes:
General Chat: Perfect for leaving notes, comments, or collaborating with team members. Think of it as your internal communication system that lives alongside your knowledge graphs.
AI Chat: The star of the show - a full-featured conversational AI that integrates seamlessly with your whiteboards and note-taking workflow.
Getting Started: The Setup Process
Here's where things get interesting (and slightly frustrating for some users). Currently, the AI Chat feature requires you to bring your own API keys. Yes, you read that right - you'll need to set up API access. But this makes some sense for Heptabase to do it this way so customers don't run up huge bills on Heptabases dime. This does mean that if the customer wants to use this feature they'll be adding cost on top of what they're already paying for the software.
These are the supported providers:
OpenAI (for GPT models)
Google (for Gemini models)
Anthropic (for Claude models)
Before you panic about costs, there's good news:
Heptabase is working on providing monthly credits that will let you use the feature without API keys. The interface already shows "Monthly credits will be available soon," so this is clearly a temporary limitation.
API Key Setup Made Simple
The setup process is refreshingly straightforward:
Click "Get API Key" for your preferred service
Follow the instructions to obtain your key
Paste it into Heptabase
"Verify" the connection
Start chatting
Tip: You don't need to set up all three services. Pick the AI models you prefer and stick with those to minimize costs.
Model Selection: Basic vs Premium Tiers
Heptabase gives you granular control over which AI models to use, split into two tiers:
Basic Tier (Faster and Cheaper)
OpenAI GPT-4o Mini
Google Gemini 2.5 Flash
Premium Tier (Better Performance, Higher Cost)
Google Gemini 2.5 Pro
OpenAI GPT-4o
Claude 4 Sonnet
Claude 4 Opus
The "Thinking" Models Feature
Here's where Heptabase really shines. They've included access to reasoning models (indicated by a lightbulb icon) that provide deeper, more thoughtful responses. When you enable "thinking" mode, you get access to models specifically designed for complex reasoning tasks.
This is perfect for:
Research projects
Complex problem-solving
In-depth analysis
Strategic planning
Whiteboard Integration
The real power of Heptabase AI Chat isn't just in the conversations - it's in how those conversations integrate with your visual thinking process.
Move Conversations to Your Canvas - You can drag entire chats or individual messages directly onto your whiteboards. This means your AI conversations become part of your knowledge graph, not just ephemeral exchanges that disappear into chat history.
Real-Time Synchronization - When you edit a message on your whiteboard, it automatically syncs back to the chat. This bidirectional relationship means your AI conversations become living documents that evolve with your thinking.
Contextual Chat Creation - Create new chats directly from specific whiteboards, giving your AI conversations immediate context about what you're working on. No more explaining your project from scratch every time you start a new conversation.
Navigation and Organization
The chat interface is clean and intuitive:
All Chats: View every conversation in one place
Whiteboard Chats: Filter conversations by specific whiteboards
Drag and Drop: Move conversations between contexts effortlessly
The Bottom Line
Heptabase AI Chat feels like the natural evolution of their visual thinking platform. While the API key requirement might seem like a barrier, it actually gives you more control over costs and model selection than most integrated AI features.
The ability to have AI conversations that become part of your knowledge graph rather than disappearing into chat history is truly great to have.
Interested in trying Heptabase? Use my affiliate link to a get $5 credits for both you and me using this link. And always remember to evaluate tools based on your specific workflow needs rather than features alone.