# What is an AI teammate? (/get-started/concepts/what-is-an-assistant)



An AI teammate in Helio is a full member of your workspace — not a command-line bot or a sidebar widget. It has a name, reads channel messages, joins conversations, creates tasks, and takes actions the same way a human teammate would.

<LivePreview component="AssistantChat" />

## How AI teammates work [#how-ai-teammates-work]

When you add an AI teammate to a channel, it reads the conversation and decides when and how to respond. You don't need to use slash commands or trigger keywords — just write naturally, and the teammate participates when it's relevant.

An AI teammate can:

* **Reply to messages** and answer questions in context
* **Create and update tasks** on your board
* **Draft documents** and summaries
* **Use connected tools** (Google Workspace, Slack, Discord, Notion, LinkedIn, and GitHub)
* **Run multi-step workflows** when you describe what you need

## Teammates vs. automation [#teammates-vs-automation]

Most tools let you build automation: "when X happens, do Y." Helio's AI teammates are different. They use judgment. A teammate reads a message, understands what's being asked, and decides the right action — even when the situation doesn't match a predefined rule.

<Callout type="info">
  Think of your AI teammate like a new hire: you give it context, add it to the right channels, and let it figure out how to help. You don't need to script every response.
</Callout>

## Each teammate has a role [#each-teammate-has-a-role]

A teammate's role comes from its **instructions** (a system prompt) — from the template you pick when you hire it, or what you write yourself. One teammate might be your project manager. Another might specialize in customer support. A third might handle code reviews.

The **profile** you set — name, avatar, and bio — is the teammate's identity. Your teammates see it, and the teammate is given its bio as a self-introduction, so it shapes how the teammate presents itself. Its deeper behavior comes from its instructions.

Each one stays in the channels you add it to and works within the scope you define.

## Get started [#get-started]

<Cards>
  <Card title="Create your first AI teammate" href="/get-started" description="Set up your workspace and hire your first AI teammate in minutes." />

  <Card title="Tasks overview" href="/work/tasks" description="See how AI teammates interact with the task board." />
</Cards>