#Getting Started

Welcome aboard. You've just installed an app that gets smarter every time you use it — so the sooner you start, the sooner it starts being genuinely useful.

#What It Does

ambientChat.ai is your personal AI context platform. That's a fancy way of saying: it remembers your stuff so your AI doesn't have to guess.

You can scan barcodes, photograph receipts, snap pictures of anything you own, and the app builds a rich, searchable catalog of your world. Then, when you ask a question — "What's expiring this week?", "How much did I spend at Costco?", "What spices do I have?" — your AI assistant already knows the answer, because it knows what you have.

The more you tell it, the better it gets. It's a bit like training a very eager, very organized personal assistant who never takes a day off and never forgets where you put the paprika.

#How to Use It

#iOS App

When you first open the app, you'll be asked to sign in. You can use Apple Sign-In, Google, or email. Pick whichever feels right — you can always change later from Settings.

Once you're in, you'll see a tab bar at the bottom of the screen with these sections:

#The Chat Tab

This is your AI assistant. Ask it anything about your inventory, your documents, or just general questions. The more context you've given it (by scanning things, uploading documents, being near beacons), the more useful its answers become.

Try typing: "What do I have in my inventory?" — even if the answer is "nothing yet," you'll see it working.

#The Scan Tab

Point your camera at things and the app figures out what they are. Barcodes, receipts, products on a shelf, a pile of spices — Smart Scan handles all of it. This is the fastest way to build up your context.

#The Context Tab

This is where your data lives. It has four sub-tabs:

  • Inventory — Everything you've scanned or added. A visual grid of your items with images, categories, and values.
  • Documents — Receipts, manuals, warranties, and any files you've uploaded or the app has created. Organized in folders.
  • Me — Your interests and preferences that help the AI understand you better.
  • Questions — A history of questions you've asked and the answers you received. Your own personal Q&A archive.

#The Settings Tab

Your account, subscription, AI model preferences, privacy controls, data export, and all the knobs you might want to turn. You won't need this on day one, but it's good to know it's there.

#Your First Five Minutes

Here's what we'd suggest for your first session:

  1. Scan something. Tap the Scan tab, point your camera at a product with a barcode, and tap the shutter button. Watch it appear in your inventory moments later.

  2. Scan a receipt. Got a grocery receipt handy? Lay it flat, scan it, and watch the app extract the store name, individual items, prices, and date. Each item gets added to your inventory automatically.

  3. Ask a question. Hop over to the Chat tab and try something like:

    • "What's in my inventory?"
    • "What did I just scan?"
    • "What categories do my items fall into?"

  4. Browse your stuff. Tap the Context tab, then Inventory. You should see your scanned items with AI-generated images and details. Tap any item to see its full details.

  5. Explore Settings. Tap Settings to see your subscription tier, choose your preferred AI model, or adjust privacy settings.

That's it. Five minutes, and you're up and running.

#Via Chat

Your AI assistant is always ready. Here are some conversation starters once you have a few items:

  • "What's expiring soon?"
  • "How many items do I have?"
  • "Show me my food items."
  • "What did I buy at Target?"
  • "Help me make a shopping list based on what I already have."

#Via Claude Desktop (MCP)

If you use Claude Desktop, you can connect ambientChat.ai as an MCP server. This lets Claude access your inventory, documents, and context directly from your desktop. It's the same data, the same intelligence — just a different window into it.

Once connected, you can ask Claude things like:

  • "Search my inventory for electronics"
  • "What documents do I have about my car?"
  • "What food is expiring this week?"

See the MCP Tools guide for setup instructions.

#Tips & Tricks

  • The app learns from everything you scan. A receipt doesn't just create a document — it creates inventory items, tracks prices, and remembers where you shop. One scan, many benefits.
  • Good lighting is your friend. Smart Scan works best in well-lit conditions. You don't need studio lighting, but scanning in a dark closet will test everyone's patience.
  • You don't have to scan everything at once. Build your inventory gradually. Scan things as you buy them, and before you know it, your AI has a comprehensive picture of your world.

#Options

Setting What It Does Default
AI Model Choose which AI model answers your questions (OpenAI, Gemini, Claude) Gemini Flash
Voice Enable voice input and spoken responses Off
Context Sharing Control what context is shared with AI models All enabled
Notifications Expiry alerts, scan completion, beacon events Enabled

#Known Limitations

  • The app requires an internet connection for scanning and AI chat. Offline mode is limited to browsing cached inventory.
  • First-time sign-in with Apple occasionally requires a second attempt on some iOS versions.
  • AI answers are only as good as the context you've provided — the more you scan and add, the more accurate and helpful responses become.
  • Free tier users have a limited number of AI tokens per month. Upgrade to a paid tier for more.

#Version History

Version Date What Changed
1 2026-03-01 Initial guide