Today, we’ll lay the foundation for our AI-powered digital assistant by setting up a chatbot using OpenAI’s GPT API or Google’s Dialogflow. This chatbot will converse with users and, later in the series, will be linked to a 3D avatar with real-time voice interaction.
1. Choosing a Chatbot Platform
For the AI assistant, we can use:
✅ OpenAI’s GPT API – Best for conversational AI, supports dynamic and contextual responses.
✅ Google Dialogflow – Best for rule-based conversations, integrates well with Google services.
✅ Rasa – Best for on-device AI assistants without cloud reliance.
For this series, we’ll use OpenAI GPT-4 because it provides better conversational AI and integrates easily into React Native apps.
2. Setting Up OpenAI API
Step 1: Get an API Key from OpenAI
- Go to OpenAI API and sign up.
- Create an API key from API Settings.
- Copy and save the key for later use.
Step 2: Install Axios for API Calls
We’ll use Axios to send messages to OpenAI’s API:
npm install axios
3. Creating the Chatbot Component
Step 1: Create ChatBot.js
Inside src/components/, create a new file:
import React, { useState } from 'react';
import { View, TextInput, Button, Text, ScrollView, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';
import axios from 'axios';
const OPENAI_API_KEY = 'YOUR_OPENAI_API_KEY';
export default function ChatBot() {
const [messages, setMessages] = useState([]);
const [input, setInput] = useState('');
const sendMessage = async () => {
if (!input.trim()) return;
const newMessages = [...messages, { text: input, sender: 'user' }];
setMessages(newMessages);
try {
const response = await axios.post(
'https://api.openai.com/v1/chat/completions',
{
model: 'gpt-4',
messages: [{ role: 'user', content: input }],
},
{
headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${OPENAI_API_KEY}` },
}
);
const botReply = response.data.choices[0].message.content;
setMessages([...newMessages, { text: botReply, sender: 'bot' }]);
} catch (error) {
console.error('Error:', error);
}
setInput('');
};
return (
<View style={styles.container}>
<ScrollView style={styles.chatContainer}>
{messages.map((msg, index) => (
<Text key={index} style={msg.sender === 'user' ? styles.userText : styles.botText}>
{msg.text}
</Text>
))}
</ScrollView>
<View style={styles.inputContainer}>
<TextInput
style={styles.input}
value={input}
onChangeText={setInput}
placeholder="Type a message..."
/>
<Button title="Send" onPress={sendMessage} />
</View>
</View>
);
}
const styles = StyleSheet.create({
container: { flex: 1, padding: 10 },
chatContainer: { flex: 1, marginBottom: 10 },
userText: { alignSelf: 'flex-end', backgroundColor: '#d1e7dd', padding: 10, borderRadius: 10, margin: 5 },
botText: { alignSelf: 'flex-start', backgroundColor: '#f1f1f1', padding: 10, borderRadius: 10, margin: 5 },
inputContainer: { flexDirection: 'row', alignItems: 'center' },
input: { flex: 1, borderWidth: 1, padding: 10, borderRadius: 5, marginRight: 5 },
});
4. Connecting the Chatbot to the App
Modify App.js:
import React from 'react';
import { NavigationContainer } from '@react-navigation/native';
import { createStackNavigator } from '@react-navigation/stack';
import ChatBot from './src/components/ChatBot';
const Stack = createStackNavigator();
export default function App() {
return (
<NavigationContainer>
<Stack.Navigator>
<Stack.Screen name="AI Assistant" component={ChatBot} />
</Stack.Navigator>
</NavigationContainer>
);
}
5. Testing the AI Chatbot
Step 1: Start the App
expo start
Step 2: Interact with the Chatbot
- Type a question like “What’s the weather today?”
- Observe how GPT-4 generates a response.
6. Optimizing the Chatbot
✅ Use Message History for Contextual Replies
Modify sendMessage to maintain conversation memory:
const sendMessage = async () => {
const messageHistory = messages.map((msg) => ({
role: msg.sender === 'user' ? 'user' : 'assistant',
content: msg.text,
}));
const response = await axios.post(
'https://api.openai.com/v1/chat/completions',
{
model: 'gpt-4',
messages: [...messageHistory, { role: 'user', content: input }],
},
{ headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${OPENAI_API_KEY}` } }
);
};
✅ Implement Typing Indicators for Better UX
Add a loading indicator while the bot is responding:
const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
setLoading(true);
const response = await axios.post(...);
setLoading(false);
{loading && <Text>Bot is typing...</Text>}
✅ Limit API Calls to Reduce Costs
Set a word limit for user input:
if (input.length > 100) return alert('Message too long');
7. Key Concepts Covered
✅ Set up OpenAI GPT-4 chatbot.
✅ Created React Native UI for chat interactions.
✅ Implemented message history for context-aware replies.
8. Next Steps: Enabling Voice Input for the AI Assistant
Tomorrow, we’ll:
🔹 Add voice recognition for hands-free interaction.
🔹 Implement speech-to-text processing for chat input.
9. References & Learning Resources
10. SEO Keywords:
React Native AI chatbot, OpenAI GPT API chatbot, AI-powered digital assistant, voice-controlled chatbot, integrating GPT-4 with mobile apps.
