Payload AI Plugin

Transform content creation with intelligent automation — your models, your way

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🚀 What is this?

The Payload AI Plugin is your secret weapon for turbocharged content creation. It seamlessly integrates cutting-edge AI capabilities directly into Payload CMS, turning your content workflow from tedious to tremendous.

🎥 See It in Action

• Quick Demo - Watch the magic happen
• Extended Demo - Deep dive into all features
• Customization Guide - Make it your own

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⚠️ Beta Notice

This plugin is actively evolving. We're constantly shipping improvements and new features. Tested with Payload v3.38.0.

Quick Start Tip: Try it out with Payload's website template for the smoothest experience.

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✨ Features

📝 Text & RichText Fields

Content Generation Magic:

• ✅ Compose - Generate content from scratch
• ✅ Proofread - Polish your prose (Beta)
• ✅ Translate - Break language barriers
• ✅ Rephrase - Find better ways to say it (Beta)
• 🔜 Expand - Elaborate on ideas
• 🔜 Summarize - Distill the essence
• 🔜 Simplify - Make complex things clear

🎨 Upload Fields

• 🎙️ Voice Generation - Powered by ElevenLabs & OpenAI
• 🖼️ Image Generation - Powered by OpenAI (DALL-E & GPT-Image-1)

🔧 Power User Features

• 🔌 Bring Your Own Model - Not limited to our defaults
• 🎛️ Field-Level Prompts - Customize AI behavior per field
• 🔐 Access Control - Lock down who can use AI features
• 🧠 Prompt Editor - Fine-tune AI instructions
• 🌍 i18n Support - Works with your multilingual setup
• 🎨 Custom Components - Extend with your own UI

🔜 Coming Soon

• 📊 Document Analyzer
• ✅ Fact Checking
• 🔄 Automated Workflows
• 💡 Editor Suggestions
• 💬 AI Chat Assistant

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📦 Installation

pnpm add @ai-stack/payloadcms

That's it! Now let's configure it.

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🛠️ Quick Setup

Step 1: Configure the Plugin

Add to src/payload.config.ts:

import { payloadAiPlugin } from '@ai-stack/payloadcms'

export default buildConfig({
  plugins: [
    payloadAiPlugin({
      collections: {
        [Posts.slug]: true,
      },
      debugging: false,
    }),
  ],
  // ... rest of your config
})

Step 2: Enable AI in Your Fields

Add to your RichText fields (e.g., src/collections/Posts/index.ts):

import { PayloadAiPluginLexicalEditorFeature } from '@ai-stack/payloadcms'

fields: [
  {
    name: 'content',
    type: 'richText',
    editor: lexicalEditor({
      features: ({ rootFeatures }) => {
        return [
          HeadingFeature({ enabledHeadingSizes: ['h1', 'h2', 'h3', 'h4'] }),
          // Add this line:
          PayloadAiPluginLexicalEditorFeature(),
        ]
      },
    }),
  },
]

Step 3: Add Your API Keys

Create a .env file in your project root. Add the keys for the providers you want to use:

# Text Generation - Choose your provider(s)
OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-api-key           # OpenAI models (GPT-4, etc.)
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=your-anthropic-api-key     # Claude models
GOOGLE_GENERATIVE_AI_API_KEY=your-google-key # Gemini models

# Image Generation - Choose your provider(s)
OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-api-key           # DALL-E (uses same key as above)
# OPENAI_ORG_ID=your-org-id                  # Required only for GPT-Image-1 model
GOOGLE_GENERATIVE_AI_API_KEY=your-google-key # Imagen (uses same key as above)

# Audio/Voice Generation - Choose your provider(s)
ELEVENLABS_API_KEY=your-elevenlabs-api-key   # ElevenLabs voices
OPENAI_API_KEY=your-openai-api-key           # OpenAI TTS (uses same key as above)

# Optional: Use custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint
# OPENAI_BASE_URL=https://api.openai.com/v1

You only need the keys for the providers you plan to use. Mix and match based on your preferences!

Important: Restart your server after updating .env or plugin settings!

You may also need to regenerate the import map:

payload generate:importmap

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⚙️ Advanced Configuration

🔐 Access Control & Multi-Tenant Setup

import { payloadAiPlugin } from '@ai-stack/payloadcms'

export default buildConfig({
  plugins: [
    payloadAiPlugin({
      collections: {
        [Posts.slug]: true,
      },
      
      // Enable AI for globals too
      globals: {
        [Home.slug]: true,
      },

      // Development helpers
      debugging: false,
      disableSponsorMessage: false,
      generatePromptOnInit: process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'production',

      // Specify media collection for GPT-Image-1
      uploadCollectionSlug: "media",

      // Lock down AI features
      access: {
        generate: ({ req }) => req.user?.role === 'admin',
        settings: ({ req }) => req.user?.role === 'admin',
      },

      // Customize language options
      options: {
        enabledLanguages: ["en-US", "zh-SG", "zh-CN", "en"],
      },

      // Reference additional fields in prompts
      promptFields: [
        {
          name: 'url',
          collections: ['images'],
        },
        {
          name: 'markdown',
          async getter(doc, {collection}) {
            return docToMarkdown(collection, doc)
          }
        }
      ],

      // Control initial prompt generation
      seedPrompts: ({path}) => {
        if (path.endsWith('.meta.description')) {
          return {
            data: {
              prompt: 'Generate SEO-friendly meta description: {{markdown}}',
            }
          }
        }
        if (path.endsWith('.slug')) return false // Disable for slugs
        return undefined // Use defaults
      },

      // Custom media upload (useful for multi-tenant)
      mediaUpload: async (result, { request, collection }) => {
        return request.payload.create({
          collection,
          data: result.data,
          file: result.file,
        })
      },
    }),
  ],
})

🎨 Custom Components & Fields

Custom fields don't automatically inherit AI capabilities. If your AI-enabled fields don't show Compose settings, manually add this component path:

@ai-stack/payloadcms/fields#ComposeField

Debug Tip: Enable debugging: true in your plugin config to see which fields have AI enabled.

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📚 Documentation

Need more details? Check out the Complete Setup Guide for:

• Custom model configuration
• Advanced prompt engineering
• Field-specific customization
• Troubleshooting tips

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🤝 Support This Project

Built with ❤️ in my free time. If this plugin saves you hours of work, consider fueling future development!

Every coffee keeps the AI models running and new features shipping. Thank you! 🙏

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👥 Contributing

We love contributors! Whether you're fixing typos, suggesting features, or building new capabilities, all contributions are welcome.

Ways to Contribute

• 🐛 Report bugs
• 💡 Suggest features
• 📖 Improve documentation
• 🔧 Submit pull requests

Join the conversation on Payload's Discord and let's build something amazing together!

Local Development

Want to hack on the plugin? Here's how:

Prerequisites

• Node.js (version in .nvmrc)
• pnpm
• Database connection (Postgres or MongoDB)
• Optional: AI provider API keys

Setup

# 1. Install dependencies
pnpm install

# 2. Set up environment
cp dev/.env.example dev/.env
# Edit dev/.env with your DATABASE_URI, PAYLOAD_SECRET, and API keys

# 3. Start development server
pnpm dev
# Admin UI available at http://localhost:3000

# 4. Generate types/importmap if needed
pnpm generate:importmap
pnpm generate:types

Development Workflow

• Plugin source: src/
• Test app: dev/
• Edit files in src/ and refresh to see changes

Testing & Quality

pnpm test                    # Run all tests
pnpm lint                    # ESLint
pnpm prettier --write .      # Format code
pnpm build                   # Build plugin

Test in Another Project

pnpm pack
# In your other project:
pnpm add /path/to/ai-plugin-*.tgz

Project Structure

├── src/              # Plugin source code
├── dev/              # Test Payload app
│   ├── int.spec.ts   # Integration tests
│   └── e2e.spec.ts   # E2E tests
└── README.md         # You are here!

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Made with ❤️ and ☕ by the community

Star on GitHub • Join Discord • Read the Guide