AI Text block

The AI Text block generates newsletter copy from a custom prompt plus the context of your existing newsletter content. It’s designed for supporting sections — summaries, introductions, teasers, or section blurbs — that complement your main editorial content.

When you click Load, the AI reads your prompt and the current newsletter content to produce a short, contextual passage. Regenerate as many times as you like until you’re happy. If your company has a brand voice configured, the block shows it’s writing in your brand voice. AI-generated content can vary in style, tone, and formatting — review all output before sending.

Adding an AI Text block

1. Open your newsletter in the composer (AI Text blocks are added in newsletters; templates use them for automations — see below).
2. Insert an AI Text block from the block list.
3. Write your prompt under What would you like me to write? — instructions for the AI, up to 1,000 characters.
4. Click Load to generate content based on your prompt and the rest of your newsletter.

Writing a prompt

The AI combines your prompt, a system prompt, and the current newsletter content (other AI blocks aren’t included as context). The more specific your prompt, the better the output:

• “Write a two-sentence intro summarizing this week’s newsletter.”
• “Write a short teaser for the article about renewable energy in this newsletter.”
• “Summarize the top three stories in this edition in a casual, conversational tone.”

Prompts are capped at 1,000 characters (~150–200 words). For longer editorial sections, write directly in a Paragraph block.

Generating and regenerating

Action	What happens
Click Load	AI generates new content from your prompt and newsletter
Click Load again	New content replaces the previous output — including any manual edits
Generation fails	An inline error appears; your previous content (or placeholder) is preserved
Edit generated text	Edit freely, but clicking Load again replaces your edits

Limits and availability

• Maximum blocks per newsletter: 7 (keeps load times fast and generation reliable)
• Prompt length: up to 1,000 characters

Using AI Text blocks in automations

Templates used in automations can include AI Text blocks. Content is generated automatically at the end of assembly, after all other content is added; multiple blocks generate sequentially.

Set a fallback. In templates (only), turn on Enable Fallback Content and provide fallback text that appears if generation fails during an automation run. With a fallback set, your fallback content shows; without one, the block is hidden and the newsletter sends without it. Automations never stop sending because of an AI Text block failure — the newsletter always goes out with the AI content, the fallback, or neither.

Tips for best results

• Add your main content first — the AI reads the newsletter, so results improve when articles and copy are already in place.
• Be specific about format — bullets, sentence count, or word count belong in the prompt.
• Use it for supporting copy, not primary editorial content.
• Always review before sending.
• Set a fallback for automations to prevent blank sections.

Related AI tools

Rework existing text with AI Rewrite, or draft subject lines with Smart Subjects. Prefer to have it done for you? Penpal can draft a whole newsletter from a plain-language description for you in conversation — see how Penpal works. For everything else the composer can do, see Working in Emails.