AI Features

Every AI feature in the installer is opt-in, sandboxed, and visible. Nothing reaches a third party unless you explicitly invoke an --ai-flagged subcommand or set OPENAI_API_KEY and run a wizard. Everything written to disk is shown as a unified diff first.

Kill switch

export ZER0_NO_AI=1     # forces every AI codepath to fall back to non-AI behavior

Use this in compliance environments or CI where you want AI subcommands to be no-ops rather than errors.

Features at a glance

Subcommand	What it does	What's sent	Default model
install agents	Pure file copy of agent guidance into a site. No network.	Nothing.	n/a
install wizard --ai	Generates _config.yml from a one-line site description.	Site description + audience.	gpt-4o-mini
install diagnose --ai	Proposes a unified-diff patch for build errors.	Sanitized error log + relevant config files.	gpt-4o
install deploy --ai-suggest	Recommends a deploy target with rationale.	Site fingerprint (file presence, size).	gpt-4o-mini

Override the model with ZER0_AI_MODEL=<model-id> per session.

Sanitization (always applied before send)

The shared sanitizer in scripts/lib/install/ai/openai.sh redacts:

Pattern	Redacted with
OPENAI_API_KEY, RUBYGEMS_API_KEY, GITHUB_TOKEN env values	[REDACTED_KEY]
Any sk-... / ghp_... / gho_... token-shaped string	[REDACTED_TOKEN]
Email addresses	[REDACTED_EMAIL]
Absolute $HOME paths	~
Long hex blobs (≥ 32 chars)	[REDACTED_HEX]

BSD-sed compatible. Tested on macOS (the strictest baseline).

Diff-then-confirm

Every AI codepath that proposes a write:

1. Builds the proposed file content in memory.
2. Shows a unified diff against the current state (or the empty file).
3. Waits for y/N confirmation. (--auto-accept short-circuits this for CI.)
4. Only then writes through fs.sh::copy_file_with_backup (timestamped backup).

Cost transparency

Before each AI call, the installer prints the estimated input token count and a USD estimate using the published gpt-4o-mini / gpt-4o rate. Interactive sessions require a y/N confirm; non-interactive (--auto-accept) sessions log the estimate and proceed.

Required environment

export OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...           # required for any --ai feature
export ZER0_AI_MODEL=gpt-4o-mini       # optional override
export ZER0_NO_AI=1                    # global disable

If OPENAI_API_KEY is unset and you invoke an --ai flag, the installer aborts with a clear message and the install instructions for setting the key — it never silently degrades to a non-AI codepath without warning.

Network behavior

• Single endpoint: https://api.openai.com/v1/chat/completions (and /v1/models for doctor --ai connectivity ping).
• 30-second timeout. On timeout/HTTP failure, the command falls back to the non-AI codepath when one exists, or exits non-zero with a clear message.
• No telemetry. No background calls. No retry storms — single attempt per invocation.

Where the prompts live

System prompts are checked-in templates so you can audit / fork them:

• templates/ai/prompts/wizard-system.md
• templates/ai/prompts/diagnose-system.md
• templates/ai/prompts/suggest-system.md

Compliance checklist

Use this in a regulated environment:

• Set ZER0_NO_AI=1 in the install host's environment (or CI secret).
• Confirm install doctor reports AI: disabled (ZER0_NO_AI=1) under the AI section.
• Pin a reviewed installer version (tag, not main) for the bootstrap.
• Audit the three system prompts above.
• Audit scripts/lib/install/ai/openai.sh::_sanitize against your data-classification policy.

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Last updated: 2026-04-20 — Phase 7.