Automate Telegram Chat Replies with n8n and OpenAI GPT-4o-Mini

1. Opening Problem Statement

Meet Sarah, a community manager of a growing tech support group on Telegram. Every day, she spends hours responding to hundreds of customer queries manually. This repetitive task eats up valuable time she could use for strategic planning. Plus, the risk of delayed replies and inconsistent responses grows, leading to frustrated users and lost trust. Sarah needs a way to automate meaningful, prompt, and friendly replies that feel human and include expressive emojis to keep the chat engaging.

2. What This Automation Does

This n8n workflow is designed to handle incoming Telegram messages automatically by using AI to craft personalized and emoji-rich replies. Here’s what happens when the workflow runs:

• Listens for new incoming messages on a specific Telegram bot via the Telegram Trigger node.
• Processes the message text with an AI Agent powered by Langchain to generate helpful, context-aware, emoji-enhanced responses.
• Uses the OpenAI Chat Model GPT-4o-Mini as the language model backend for generating natural, human-like replies.
• Sends the AI-generated response back to the respective chat using the Telegram node.
• Ensures seamless and fully automated conversational flow in the Telegram group or channel without manual intervention.
• Drastically reduces response time by automating replies, freeing Sarah up from repetitive tasks and enhancing user satisfaction.

3. Prerequisites ⚙️

• Telegram Bot account with API access to connect with the Telegram Trigger and Telegram nodes 📱
• OpenAI API key for the GPT-4o-Mini model integration 🔑
• n8n account (cloud or self-hosted) to set up the automation workflow ⚙️
• Basic knowledge of n8n interface for adding nodes and connecting them 🔌

4. Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot and Obtain API Token

Use Telegram’s BotFather to create a new bot and get your API token. Save this for later to authorize both the Telegram Trigger and Telegram nodes.

Step 2: Set Up Telegram Trigger Node

In n8n, click + Add Node, search for Telegram Trigger, and add it to your canvas.

• Set the updates parameter to ["message"] to listen for new messages.
• Under credentials, create or select your Telegram API credentials and link your bot.
• You should now see the webhook URL generated for your bot in n8n.
• Common mistake: Forgetting to link the correct bot token will prevent the trigger from receiving messages.

Step 3: Add the AI Agent Node (Langchain)

Add the AI Agent node from the Langchain integration.

• Set the input to use the incoming Telegram message text with the expression: =Respond to this as a helpful assistant with emojis: {{ $json.message.text }}
• This prompt instructs the AI to reply helpfully and include emojis for added engagement.

Step 4: Configure the OpenAI Chat Model Node

Add the OpenAI Chat Model node from the Langchain nodes.

• Select the GPT-4o-Mini model from the model dropdown list.
• Link your OpenAI credentials using your API key.
• This node acts as the language model processor for the AI Agent node.

Step 5: Connect OpenAI Chat Model to AI Agent

In the AI Agent node, set the AI language model input connection to the OpenAI Chat Model node to funnel the GPT-4o-Mini outputs properly.

Step 6: Configure Telegram Node to Send Replies

Add a Telegram node to send messages back.

• Set the message text parameter to = {{ $json.output }} to relay the AI-generated response.
• Set the chatId dynamically from incoming Telegram message’s chat id: = {{ $('Telegram Trigger').item.json.message.chat.id }}.
• Link your Telegram API credentials here also.

Step 7: Connect Workflow Nodes

Chain them as the flow: Telegram Trigger → AI Agent → Telegram.

Also, connect the OpenAI Chat Model to the AI Agent as the languageModel input.

Step 8: Activate Workflow and Test

Activate your workflow and test by sending messages to your Telegram bot. You should see prompt, friendly replies with emojis responding automatically.

5. Customizations ✏️

• Change AI prompt style: Edit the AI Agent node’s text parameter to customize the tone or details of replies, such as making it more formal or humorous.
• Switch language model: In the OpenAI Chat Model node, choose a different GPT model supported by your subscription to change response characteristics.
• Add logging: Insert a Set or Write Binary File node after AI Agent to save chat logs for auditing.
• Filter specific messages: Use an If node before the AI Agent to ignore automated bot messages or certain keywords.
• Multiple chatbot support: Duplicate the workflow for different Telegram bots with adjusted credentials.

6. Troubleshooting 🔧

Problem:

“Webhook not receiving Telegram messages”

Cause: Incorrect API token or missing webhook setup on Telegram BotFather.

Solution: Verify your bot token and re-register webhook URL with Telegram using the trigger node’s webhook URL.

Problem:

“AI response returns empty or error”

Cause: OpenAI API key invalid or usage limits reached.

Solution: Check your OpenAI credentials in the node, ensure you have active subscription and API quota.

7. Pre-Production Checklist ✅

• Verify Telegram bot token and that webhook URLs are active in n8n.
• Ensure OpenAI API credentials are valid and linked correctly.
• Send test messages to confirm the AI Agent generates appropriate responses with emojis.
• Review logs or console for any node errors.
• Backup your n8n workflow JSON export before deployment.

8. Deployment Guide

Once tested, activate the workflow in your n8n instance.

Keep monitoring the workflow executions for errors or API issues.

Since this workflow is event-driven on Telegram messages, it remains idle until triggered, making it resource efficient.

9. FAQs

• Can I use another AI model? Yes, any OpenAI model supported by Langchain nodes works, just change it in the OpenAI Chat Model node.
• Is my chat data secure? The workflow processes messages within your n8n environment; ensure your instance is secure either cloud or self-hosted.
• Can this handle high message volume? n8n queues executions; scale your hosting as needed for heavy traffic.

10. Conclusion

By following this tutorial, you’ve set up a smart Telegram chat responder powered by n8n, Langchain’s AI Agent, and OpenAI’s GPT-4o-Mini. This automation saves Sarah and your team hours of manual replying daily, boosts user engagement with emoji-enhanced answers, and maintains a consistent, helpful tone effortlessly.

Next, consider extending this workflow to include user intent detection or integrate it with a CRM for advanced customer support tracking.

Remember, automation like this frees your time to focus on what really matters — growing your community and improving user satisfaction.