Using Airtable AI in fields

NOTE

AI credits and enabling AI on the workspace level are required to use AI in fields.

Why use AI in Airtable?

There are 6 overarching reasons to use AI in Airtable:

1. Speed up app creation and time-to-value

   • Surface: Airtable Cobuilder

2. Summarize and extract insights

   • Surfaces: AI assistant, AI comment summaries, Long text fields, Automations, Number-based fields

3. Categorize information

   • Surfaces: Select fields, Long text fields, Automations

4. Route work-in-progress

   • Surfaces: AI Linked record matches, Automations

5. Generate content

   • Surfaces: Select fields, Number-based fields, Long text fields, Automations, AI formula generation

6. Translate any language

   • Surfaces: Long text fields, Automations

Understanding Airtable AI in fields

There are several field types in Airtable that support AI features. The set of features supported varies by the type of field that you are creating and configuring. Below we will break down the basic features that each field type supports when enabling AI.

• Long text field - Enable AI in long text fields to have AI generate content based on a custom prompt. The content generated tends to be most useful when it refers to information held in other fields related to the record that you are working with. Please visit the AI in long text fields article for a more comprehensive understanding.

• Linked record field - Toggle on the “Show AI-suggested records” option in the field configuration menu to turn on AI. This lets Airtable AI either suggest or “auto-fill” linked records in the field based on context held in other fields in the table(s) connected via linked records, streamlining repetitious and manual work.

• Select fields (Single or Multiple select) - Toggle on the “Generate values with AI” option in the field configuration menu to turn on AI. This allows you to add a custom prompt that will select one or more of the options that you configure in the field you are creating.

• Number based fields (Number, Currency, or Percent) - Toggle on the “Generate values with AI” option in the field configuration menu to turn on AI. This allows you to add a custom prompt that will return a value in the format of the field you are configuring.

Configuring AI in linked record fields

We provide some additional information in this article, but the steps below give you the basic steps to set this up.

1. Navigate to an existing linked record field where you want to configure AI settings or add a new linked record field to a table.

2. Toggle on the “Show AI-suggested records” option.

3. Optionally toggle on the “Auto-fill top suggestions” option.

4. Next, you’ll select one or more fields from each table linked together that will help to give AI context about the relationship between the linked records.

   1. You can utilize this feature on intra-linked (within the same table) or inter-linked (between two tables) record fields.

   2. You’ll want to connect as many fields as needed to provide the AI model with the necessary context to suggest or auto-fill records with greater precision.

5. Click Save if you are modifying an existing linked record field or Create field if you just configured a new linked record field.

NOTE

Auto-filling top suggestions can be a trial and error process, so consider potential downstream effects (i.e. automations, formula fields, etc.) before making changes to a linked record field.

Configuring AI in select fields

1. Navigate to the select field (single select or multiple select) where you want to configure AI settings.

2. Toggle on the “Generate values with AI” option.

3. Optionally toggle on the “Generate automatically” option.

4. Optionally toggle on the “Allow AI to access the Internet” option.

5. Below “Model” click into the box to select a particular AI model that will perform the processes related to the field that your are configuring. Note that model selection can depend both on the plan type of the workspace you are working in as well as any settings (restrictions) that an admin has configured in the admin panel (Business and Enterprise Scale plans).

6. Under “Custom instructions” you will begin configuring a prompt.

   1. Select field prompts allow you to give specific guidance to help the AI make the best selection or selections possible. By adding fields to your prompt you allow the AI to utilize relevant information that is already stored within your Airtable base.

   2. You can also parse instructions based on information from external websites when the “Allow AI to access the Internet” option is enabled

   3. If you need additional prompt-writing tips, then you can find those here.

7. If you get stuck, then click the Edit with AI button below the prompt window. Here, you can ask the AI for help, in simple language, with generating a prompt that will perform a certain action or set of actions.

8. In the “Preview” window you can view an example result of the current configuration for your field. You can also view the approximate credit cost each time this field generates a value in a single record.

9. Next, you can adjust the “Options” section. These represent the choices that the AI will be constrained to filling in based on the custom instructions that you give it.

10. Default values are not configurable in AI-enabled select fields.

11. Be sure to click Save so that your changes are reflected in your base.

Configuring AI in number-based fields

1. Navigate to the number field where you want to configure AI settings.

2. Toggle on the “Generate values with AI” option.

3. Optionally toggle on the “Generate automatically” option.

4. Optionally toggle on the “Allow AI to access the Internet” option.

5. Below “Model” click into the box to select a particular AI model that will perform the processes related to the field that your are configuring. Note that model selection can depend both on the plan type of the workspace you are working in as well as any settings (restrictions) that an admin has configured in the admin panel (Business and Enterprise Scale plans).

6. Under “Custom instructions” you will begin configuring a prompt.

   1. Number-based field prompts can act similarly to formulas where you have the AI generate computational values based on information from other fields. Additionally, you can also add static numbers to work off of into the prompt you write.

   2. You can also parse number data from external websites when the “Allow AI to access the Internet” option is enabled.

   3. If you need additional prompt-writing tips, then you can find those here.

7. If you get stuck, then click the Edit with AI button below the prompt window. Here, you can ask the AI for help, in simple language, with generating a prompt that will perform a certain action or set of actions.

8. In the “Preview” window you can view an example result of the current configuration for your field. You can also view the approximate credit cost each time this field generates a value in a single record.

9. Next, you can adjust the “Formatting” of the values in the number field.

10. Default values are not configurable in AI-enabled number-based fields.

11. Be sure to click Save so that your changes are reflected in your base.