Meet HeySurf: an AI teammate that gets things done

HeySurf, which you may know as Lilac, is a workspace built around a simple idea: you should be able to hand real work to an AI teammate and get it back finished, instead of copying answers out of a chat window.

This is the first post on our blog, so it covers the whole picture: what HeySurf is, what it can do, and how to use it. If you would rather jump straight in, the how to use guide walks through it step by step.

What HeySurf is

HeySurf is a web app where you talk to an AI teammate called a Bud. You tell a Bud what you need, connect the tools it should use, and watch it work. When it is done, it brings the result back to you for review.

Unlike a chatbot that only replies with text, a Bud can take actions. It has its own computer and browser, built-in tools, and connections to the services you already use.

Meet your Bud

Every account starts with a general Bud you can talk to right away. When you want something more focused, create your own: give it a name, write its instructions, and choose which connections it is allowed to use.

• A name and instructions that shape how it works and what it focuses on.
• Its own computer and browser, so it can open websites, sign in, fill in forms, or watch a page for changes.
• Connections to your tools, which you choose and can change.

You can run several Buds, one per kind of work, and switch between them from the Buds section of the workspace.

A teammate that speaks first

Most AI tools wait for you to ask. A Bud can also notice something that needs your attention and offer to help: a reminder, a useful idea, or a next step you have not asked for yet.

An offer is yours to accept or leave for later. You stay in charge of what happens next.

Your Bud also keeps the thread. Your preferences and the important details of your work stay with it, so you can pick up where you left off without explaining everything again.

Works with the tools you already use

From your profile, open Accounts to connect GitHub, Notion, or Google Calendar. Each connection goes through the provider’s own consent screen, and your Bud can only use the ones you allow. We only list connections that work today.

Follow the work, and step in when you want

When you send a task in Chat, you can watch its activity as it happens. If your Bud is using its browser, open the browser preview to see exactly what it sees.

You can take over the browser at any point, for example to enter a password yourself, and then hand control back. The Bud carries on from where you left it. Files it creates are available in your project’s Space, and chat artifacts can be previewed and downloaded.

Get started in five steps

1. Log in and open the workspace. If access has not opened up for you yet, join the waitlist.
2. Meet your Bud, or choose Create Bud to set up your own.
3. Connect your accounts from Profile → Accounts.
4. Give it a first task in Chat and follow along.
5. Make it comfortable from Profile → System Preferences, where you can pick Auto, Light, or Dark appearance.

The documentation has the details for each step.

Plans

You can start on the free plan. Pro is $20 per month, billed monthly, and includes:

• 5,000 credits per month
• Access to advanced models
• 15 Buds
• 125 hours of computer use per month
• 3 hours of Browser Use per month

Your profile shows your current plan and how much of your allowance you have used.

What comes next

This blog is where we will share product updates, guides, and the thinking behind HeySurf. If you have a question or an idea in the meantime, write to help@lilac.codes. We read everything.