Connecting AI to Everything: Slack, Discord, Zapier, and n8n Integration Guide

A standalone AI chatbot is useful. An AI connected to your tools is transformative.

Imagine:

• Customer emails trigger AI analysis and suggested responses
• Slack messages get instant AI-powered answers from your docs
• Form submissions automatically create AI-generated reports
• Discord community questions answered by your AI in real-time

This is what integrations enable. Here's how to build them.

Integration Architecture Overview

AI integrations typically follow one of these patterns:

Pattern 1: Webhook Triggers

External event → Webhook → AI Processing → Response/Action

[Slack message] → [Webhook to your app] → [AI generates response] → [Reply in Slack]

Pattern 2: Polling/Scheduled

Timer → Check for updates → AI Processing → Action

[Every 5 minutes] → [Check email inbox] → [AI categorizes new emails] → [Route to team]

Pattern 3: Direct API

Your app → AI API → Your app

[User clicks button] → [Call AI API] → [Display result in app]

Pattern 4: Middleware (Zapier/Make/n8n)

Trigger → Middleware → AI → Middleware → Action

[Form submitted] → [Zapier catches] → [AI analyzes] → [Zapier] → [Notion page created]

Slack Integration

Setting Up a Slack App

1. Go to api.slack.com/apps

2. Create New App → From scratch

3. Add permissions (scopes):

   • chat:write - Send messages
   • channels:history - Read channel messages
   • app_mentions:read - Respond to @mentions
   • im:history - Direct messages

4. Enable Event Subscriptions:

   • URL: Your webhook endpoint
   • Events: app_mention, message.im

Basic Slack Bot with AI

from flask import Flask, request, jsonify
from slack_sdk import WebClient
from slack_sdk.signature import SignatureVerifier
from novakit import AIChat

app = Flask(__name__)
slack_client = WebClient(token=os.environ["SLACK_BOT_TOKEN"])
verifier = SignatureVerifier(os.environ["SLACK_SIGNING_SECRET"])
ai = AIChat(model="claude-3-5-sonnet")

@app.route("/slack/events", methods=["POST"])
def slack_events():
    # Verify request is from Slack
    if not verifier.is_valid_request(request.get_data(), request.headers):
        return "Invalid request", 403

    data = request.json

    # Handle URL verification
    if data.get("type") == "url_verification":
        return jsonify({"challenge": data["challenge"]})

    # Handle events
    if data.get("type") == "event_callback":
        event = data["event"]

        if event["type"] == "app_mention":
            handle_mention(event)

    return "", 200

def handle_mention(event):
    channel = event["channel"]
    user = event["user"]
    text = event["text"]

    # Remove the @mention from the text
    query = text.split(">", 1)[1].strip() if ">" in text else text

    # Get AI response
    response = ai.chat(
        message=query,
        context=f"Responding to Slack user {user} in channel {channel}"
    )

    # Reply in thread
    slack_client.chat_postMessage(
        channel=channel,
        text=response.text,
        thread_ts=event.get("thread_ts", event["ts"])
    )

Advanced: Slash Commands

Create richer interactions with slash commands:

@app.route("/slack/commands", methods=["POST"])
def slash_command():
    command = request.form.get("command")
    text = request.form.get("text")
    user_id = request.form.get("user_id")
    channel_id = request.form.get("channel_id")

    if command == "/ask":
        # Immediate response (Slack requires response within 3s)
        # Process async for longer operations
        response = ai.chat(message=text)
        return jsonify({
            "response_type": "in_channel",
            "text": response.text
        })

    elif command == "/summarize":
        # Get recent channel history and summarize
        history = slack_client.conversations_history(
            channel=channel_id,
            limit=50
        )

        messages = [m["text"] for m in history["messages"]]
        summary = ai.chat(
            message=f"Summarize this Slack conversation:\n\n{messages}"
        )

        return jsonify({
            "response_type": "ephemeral",  # Only visible to user
            "text": summary.text
        })

Tips for Slack Integration

1. Use threading: Reply in threads to keep channels clean
2. Ephemeral for personal: Use ephemeral messages for user-specific info
3. Show typing: Send typing indicator for longer operations
4. Rate limits: Slack has rate limits; implement queuing for high volume
5. Blocks for rich UI: Use Block Kit for interactive messages

Discord Integration

Setting Up a Discord Bot

1. Go to discord.com/developers/applications
2. Create New Application
3. Go to Bot → Create Bot
4. Enable these Intents:
   • Message Content Intent
   • Server Members Intent (if needed)
5. Get your bot token

Basic Discord Bot with AI

import discord
from novakit import AIChat

intents = discord.Intents.default()
intents.message_content = True

client = discord.Client(intents=intents)
ai = AIChat(model="claude-3-5-sonnet")

@client.event
async def on_ready():
    print(f'{client.user} has connected to Discord!')

@client.event
async def on_message(message):
    # Don't respond to ourselves
    if message.author == client.user:
        return

    # Respond to mentions
    if client.user.mentioned_in(message):
        query = message.content.replace(f'<@{client.user.id}>', '').strip()

        # Show typing indicator
        async with message.channel.typing():
            response = ai.chat(message=query)

        # Reply to the message
        await message.reply(response.text)

    # Respond to DMs
    if isinstance(message.channel, discord.DMChannel):
        async with message.channel.typing():
            response = ai.chat(message=message.content)

        await message.reply(response.text)

client.run(os.environ["DISCORD_TOKEN"])

Discord Slash Commands

Modern Discord bots use slash commands:

from discord import app_commands

class MyBot(discord.Client):
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__(intents=intents)
        self.tree = app_commands.CommandTree(self)

    async def setup_hook(self):
        await self.tree.sync()

bot = MyBot()

@bot.tree.command(name="ask", description="Ask the AI a question")
async def ask(interaction: discord.Interaction, question: str):
    await interaction.response.defer()  # For longer operations

    response = ai.chat(message=question)

    await interaction.followup.send(response.text)

@bot.tree.command(name="summarize", description="Summarize recent messages")
async def summarize(interaction: discord.Interaction, count: int = 20):
    await interaction.response.defer()

    # Get recent messages
    messages = []
    async for msg in interaction.channel.history(limit=count):
        messages.append(f"{msg.author.name}: {msg.content}")

    messages.reverse()
    history = "\n".join(messages)

    response = ai.chat(
        message=f"Summarize this Discord conversation:\n\n{history}"
    )

    await interaction.followup.send(response.text)

Tips for Discord Integration

1. Use embeds: Rich embeds look better than plain text
2. Rate limits: Discord has strict rate limits; use queues
3. Per-server settings: Store settings per guild (server)
4. Slash commands: Preferred over text commands now
5. Defer for long operations: Acknowledge within 3 seconds, send followup later

Zapier Integration

Zapier connects 5,000+ apps without code. Here's how to use AI in your Zaps.

Using Zapier Webhooks to Trigger AI

1. Trigger: Choose your trigger app (Gmail, Typeform, etc.)
2. Action: Webhooks by Zapier → POST
3. Configure:
   • URL: Your AI endpoint
   • Payload: Data to send to AI

URL: https://api.novakit.ai/v1/chat
Method: POST
Headers:
  Authorization: Bearer your-api-key
  Content-Type: application/json

Data:
{
  "message": "Analyze this customer email: {{email_body}}",
  "model": "claude-3-5-sonnet"
}

Using AI Response in Subsequent Steps

Zapier can parse the AI response and use it:

Step 1: Trigger (New Gmail)
Step 2: Webhook to AI (Analyze and categorize)
Step 3: Parse JSON (Extract category, sentiment, priority)
Step 4: Conditional (If priority is high...)
Step 5: Slack notification / Create ticket / etc.

Example Zap: AI Email Responder

Trigger: New email in Gmail matching "support@"

Step 1: Webhook to AI
- Message: "Draft a response to: {{email_body}}"
- Context: "We are a SaaS company. Be helpful but professional."

Step 2: Filter
- Only continue if AI confidence > 0.8

Step 3: Create Gmail Draft
- To: {{from_email}}
- Subject: Re: {{subject}}
- Body: {{ai_response}}

Step 4: Slack notification
- "AI drafted response to {{from_email}} - please review"

Example Zap: Content Generation Pipeline

Trigger: New item in Notion database

Step 1: Webhook to AI
- Message: "Write a blog post about: {{topic}}"
- Style: {{tone}} (from Notion property)

Step 2: Webhook to AI (Image prompt)
- Message: "Create an image prompt for: {{topic}}"

Step 3: DALL-E / Midjourney
- Generate image from prompt

Step 4: Update Notion
- Add generated content and image
- Set status to "Ready for Review"

Make (Integromat) Integration

Make offers more complex workflows than Zapier:

HTTP Module for AI

Module: HTTP → Make a Request

URL: https://api.novakit.ai/v1/chat
Method: POST
Headers:
  Authorization: Bearer {{connection.api_key}}
  Content-Type: application/json
Body:
{
  "message": "{{1.email_content}}",
  "model": "claude-3-5-sonnet"
}

Parse response: Yes

Iterators and Aggregators

Make excels at processing lists:

Scenario: Process all comments on a post

1. Trigger: New social media post
2. HTTP: Get all comments
3. Iterator: Process each comment
4. AI: Analyze sentiment
5. Filter: Only negative sentiment
6. Aggregator: Collect flagged comments
7. Slack: Send summary of issues

Error Handling

Make has built-in error handling:

Route 1: Normal flow → AI processing → Success actions
Route 2: Error handler → If AI fails → Fallback actions

n8n Integration

n8n is self-hosted and developer-friendly.

HTTP Request Node

Node: HTTP Request
Method: POST
URL: https://api.novakit.ai/v1/chat
Authentication: Header Auth
Headers:
  Content-Type: application/json
Body:
  {
    "message": "{{ $json.input_text }}",
    "model": "claude-3-5-sonnet"
  }

Code Node for Complex Logic

// Code node for custom AI processing
const response = await $http.request({
  method: 'POST',
  url: 'https://api.novakit.ai/v1/chat',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${$env.NOVAKIT_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: {
    message: items[0].json.query,
    context: items[0].json.context
  }
});

return [{
  json: {
    original: items[0].json,
    ai_response: response.data.response
  }
}];

n8n AI Nodes (Native)

n8n now has native AI nodes:

• AI Agent: Autonomous agent with tools
• AI Chain: Sequential AI operations
• AI Memory: Maintain conversation state
• AI Tools: Connect AI to other n8n nodes

Webhook Best Practices

Security

1. Verify signatures: Always verify webhook signatures

   import hmac
   import hashlib
   
   def verify_webhook(payload, signature, secret):
       expected = hmac.new(
           secret.encode(),
           payload,
           hashlib.sha256
       ).hexdigest()
       return hmac.compare_digest(signature, expected)
   

2. Use HTTPS: Never accept webhooks over HTTP

3. Validate payloads: Check required fields exist

4. Rate limit: Prevent webhook floods

Reliability

1. Respond quickly: Return 200 within 5 seconds
2. Process async: Queue work for background processing
3. Retry handling: Handle duplicate webhooks idempotently
4. Timeout handling: Set reasonable timeouts for AI calls

Example: Robust Webhook Handler

from flask import Flask, request
from celery import Celery
import hashlib
import hmac

app = Flask(__name__)
celery = Celery(app.name, broker='redis://localhost:6379')

@app.route("/webhook", methods=["POST"])
def webhook():
    # Verify signature
    signature = request.headers.get("X-Signature")
    if not verify_signature(request.data, signature):
        return "Invalid signature", 401

    # Parse and validate
    data = request.json
    if not data.get("event") or not data.get("payload"):
        return "Invalid payload", 400

    # Idempotency check
    event_id = data.get("event_id")
    if event_already_processed(event_id):
        return "Already processed", 200

    # Queue for processing
    process_webhook.delay(data)

    # Respond immediately
    return "Accepted", 202

@celery.task
def process_webhook(data):
    # AI processing happens here
    response = ai.chat(message=data["payload"]["text"])

    # Send result to appropriate destination
    send_response(data["callback_url"], response)

    # Mark as processed
    mark_event_processed(data["event_id"])

NovaKit Integration Features

NovaKit provides built-in integrations:

Slack Integration

• One-click Slack app installation
• Automatic bot configuration
• Channel selection for responses
• Thread support

Discord Integration

• Bot token configuration
• Server/channel permissions
• Slash command registration

Webhooks (Outgoing)

• Trigger external services on AI events
• Configurable payloads
• Retry logic built-in

Webhooks (Incoming)

• Receive events from external services
• Route to appropriate AI agents
• Transform payloads automatically

Zapier/Make Templates

• Pre-built templates for common workflows
• NovaKit app in Zapier marketplace
• Native Make module

Building Your Integration

Step 1: Define the Use Case

What should trigger AI?

• User messages in chat?
• Form submissions?
• Scheduled events?
• Database changes?

What should AI do?

• Generate content?
• Analyze data?
• Make decisions?
• Take actions?

Step 2: Choose the Pattern

• Direct API: For your own apps
• Webhooks: For event-driven triggers
• Middleware: For connecting existing tools

Step 3: Build and Test

• Start with a simple flow
• Test with real data
• Handle errors gracefully
• Monitor for issues

Step 4: Scale

• Add queuing for volume
• Implement caching where sensible
• Monitor costs and latency
• Iterate based on usage

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Ready to connect AI to your tools? NovaKit's integrations make it easy to add AI to Slack, Discord, and your automation workflows.