AI Chat
The AI Chat is the core of Cumulus. Ask questions, draft documents, analyze data, and get instant answers tailored to your role.
Starting a conversation
Open a chat
Click New Chat (+ icon) in the top-left of the sidebar, or select any existing conversation from the list.
Type your message
Use the message input at the bottom of the screen. It auto-expands as you type.
Send your message
Press Enter to send. Use Shift + Enter to add a new line without sending.
Watch it stream
Cumulus streams responses in real time — you see the answer as it generates, not all at once.
Role-aware responses
When you select your role during onboarding, the AI adapts how it communicates:
| Your role | What changes |
|---|---|
| Developer / Engineer | Technical detail, code examples, debugging guidance |
| Product Manager | Strategic framing, spec-writing, stakeholder summaries |
| Designer / Marketer | Creative suggestions, copy, visual thinking |
| Other | Balanced, general-purpose responses |
Change your role anytime in Settings → Personalization. It takes effect in new chats immediately.
Example prompts (dice icon)
Not sure what to ask? Click the dice icon in the empty chat state to get a role-specific example prompt. Click it again to cycle through options — then click any prompt to drop it into the input field.
Stopping generation
If the AI is mid-response and you want to redirect it, click the red square (stop) button that appears in place of the send button during generation.
Stop generation when: the AI is going in the wrong direction, the response is already long enough, or you want to refine your prompt.
AI thinking & reasoning
For complex queries, Cumulus shows its reasoning in real time:
- Thinking — initial processing state
- Reasoning with your query — appears after ~3.5s, shows active reasoning
- Observations — tool calls, data lookups, and results as they happen
Keyboard shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Send message | Enter |
| New line | Shift + Enter |
| Stop generation | Click red square button |
What to ask
- “Why would my React component re-render unnecessarily?”
- “Write a TypeScript function that debounces API calls”
- “Explain the difference between optimistic and pessimistic locking”
- “Review this SQL query for performance issues: [paste query]”
Related
- Conversations — manage and organize your chats
- File Uploads — attach files and documents to your messages
- Prompt Strategies — get better answers with better prompts