AI widgets: Controlling interactive email elements through chat

Interactive elements have long been part of email marketing. Polls, quizzes, scratch cards, and other mechanics help turn a static message into something recipients can interact with. 

These approaches work well, but they often require working directly with code. Marketers need to copy HTML, adjust parameters, and insert blocks into the correct part of the email structure. Even when the result is powerful, the process can be technical and time-consuming.

This is where the idea behind AI widgets comes from.

Why this project was created

Interactive elements can increase engagement in email campaigns. Scratch cards, quizzes, polls, and similar mechanics invite recipients to interact with the message instead of simply reading it. More importantly, they let recipients complete certain actions directly inside the email, which helps reduce friction and streamline the experience.

Creating interactive emails has traditionally required technical knowledge. To make these elements work across major email clients, teams often need to handle AMP and kinetic versions along with fallback logic, and client-specific limitations. Even simple-looking experiences can take significant effort to build.

We simplified this process with our interactive module generator. Users can create interactive elements through the UI and get ready-made code with AMP, kinetic, and fallback versions already included. This removed the need to build such modules from scratch and made interactivity far more accessible. 

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But there was still a catch. To make changes, users had to go back to the generator, update the module, export the code again, and reinsert it into the email. The process was easier than coding, but it still involved some extra steps.

Now there is an even simpler way. Users can just describe what they need in chat, and the AI Assistant generates or updates the interactive element for them. The goal is not interaction for its own sake, but a faster, easier workflow with less friction.

How AI widgets work

To understand the idea in practice, it helps to look at the basic workflow behind AI widgets:

1. You can choose a widget (for example, a scratch card).
2. Drag and drop in the editor.
3. When you click on the widget assistant will appear in the right corner.
4. Type your preferences to edit it.
5. It reads the configuration options that the service supports.
6. It prepares a valid configuration based on your request.
7. It sends the request to the service.
8. Finally it will applies your request in widget.

The key principle here is the separation of responsibilities. The editor remains focused on placing and arranging content, while the Assistant handles configuring the interactive element.

Instead of navigating through multiple controls, fields, and nested settings, you start with simple requests. The Assistant prepares the configuration and applies changes that can be edited further through the same chat interaction.

Modifying widgets using high-level commands

Once a widget is in the editor, you continue working with it through chat. There is no switch to a separate settings panel. You simply describe what you want to change.

You can:

• change the text;
• adjust button size;
• change a color using a hex code;
• translate content into another language;
• add or remove answer options
• change the image.

For example, you can paste a hex value like #AAD000 and ask to apply it to the button or text. You do not need to know how that property is named in the widget configuration. The Assistant maps your request to the correct parameter, updates the configuration, and refreshes the widget in the editor.

The same applies to structural edits. If you ask to make the button larger or replace a phrase with a new one, the Assistant keeps the rest of the widget intact and modifies only the requested part. You stay at the level of intent. The Assistant handles the underlying configuration and applies changes automatically.

Behind the scenes, the Assistant handles:

• HTML generation;
• AMP generation, if applicable;
• configuration logic;
• fallback;
• communication with the external service.

For the Stripo editor user, this means working at the level of intent. Instead of manually adjusting parameters, you describe the result you want, and the Assistant translates it into the correct configuration and code.

As more widgets become available directly in the editor, creating interactive email content will require fewer manual steps and less configuration.

Wrapping up

Interactive email elements can drive strong engagement, but building and maintaining them has traditionally required working with code, configuration settings, and careful testing. 

AI widgets introduce a different workflow inside the editor. Instead of manually configuring every parameter, marketers can request a widget and refine it through simple instructions in chat. The Assistant prepares the configuration, generates the necessary code, and applies the changes directly to the widget.

As this system expands inside the editor, creating interactive email content will involve fewer technical steps. More widget formats will be added gradually, giving teams new ways to include interactive experiences in their campaigns while keeping the production process simpler.