Build Your Own AI Assistant: Supercharge Productivity with n8n and Ollama Integration

D: 🚀 Tired of juggling multiple apps and repetitive tasks? What if you could create a personal AI assistant that automates workflows, answers questions, and even drafts emails—all tailored to your needs?

In this guide, we’ll explore how to integrate Ollama (a powerful local LLM) with n8n (a low-code automation tool) to build a custom AI assistant that boosts productivity.

Why n8n + Ollama? 🤖💡

• n8n: A flexible, open-source automation tool (like Zapier, but self-hostable).
• Ollama: Run open-source LLMs (Llama 3, Mistral, etc.) locally for privacy and customization.

Together, they let you:
✔ Automate tasks with AI logic (e.g., auto-summarize emails).
✔ Build private ChatGPT-like assistants without cloud dependency.
✔ Connect AI to 500+ apps (Slack, Gmail, Notion, etc.).

Step 1: Set Up Ollama (Your Local AI Brain) 🧠

1. Install Ollama (Download here):

   curl -fsSL https://ollama.ai/install.sh | sh

2. Pull an LLM (e.g., Llama 3):

   ollama pull llama3

3. Test it in Terminal:

   ollama run llama3 "Suggest 3 time-management tips"

   → You’ll get AI-generated responses locally!

Step 2: Connect Ollama to n8n 🔌

n8n can call Ollama’s API to integrate AI into workflows.

Option A: HTTP Request (Simple)

1. In n8n, add an HTTP Request node.
2. Configure:
   • URL: http://localhost:11434/api/generate
   • Method: POST
   • Headers:

     { "Content-Type": "application/json" }

   • Body:

     {
     "model": "llama3",
     "prompt": "Summarize this text: {Input from previous node}"
     }

     (Pro Tip: Use n8n’s JSON fields for dynamic prompts!)

Option B: Use n8n’s Ollama Node (Easier!)

If you prefer a dedicated node, install the Ollama integration via n8n’s community nodes.

Step 3: Build AI-Powered Automations 🛠️

Here are 3 killer workflows to try:

1. Email Summarizer 📧→📝

• Trigger: New email (Gmail/Outlook node).
• AI Action: Ollama node → “Summarize this email in 1 line.”
• Result: Auto-save summary to Notion/Google Docs.

2. Smart Meeting Notes 🎤→✍️

• Trigger: Recorded Zoom call (via Zoom node).
• AI Action: Transcribe audio → Ollama → “Extract key decisions.”
• Result: Post summary to Slack channel.

3. AI Research Assistant 🔍→📚

• Trigger: RSS feed (new blog post).
• AI Action: Ollama → “Explain this in simple terms + bullet points.”
• Result: Send digest to Telegram/email.

(Example Workflow Screenshot)

Bonus: Advanced Tips 🚀

• Fine-tune Ollama: Use ollama create to train a model on your own data (e.g., company docs).
• Cache Responses: Store frequent AI answers in n8n’s key-value DB node to save compute.
• Multi-AI Routing: Use n8n’s IF node to switch between Ollama models (e.g., “Use llama3 for creative tasks, mistral for coding.”).

Final Thoughts 💡

With n8n + Ollama, you’re not limited by pre-built AI tools. Want an assistant that writes SQL queries, tweets in your style, or tracks expenses? Just design the workflow!

🔧 Try it today:

• n8n Download
• Ollama Models

What’s your dream AI assistant? Share your ideas below! 👇