ThreoAI Tools and Capabilities

Overview

ThreoAI ships with a set of built-in tools the model can reach for on its own during a chat - searching the web, making an image, drawing a chart, exporting a file, running code, or remembering useful context. You do not turn these on one at a time. Which tools are on the table depends on the model you pick, and the model decides when to use one based on what you ask.

These built-in tools are different from two other things in ThreoAI that also get called “tools” in places:

• Connectors bring outside systems into chat over MCP - your calendar, a ticketing system, an internal API. See Connectors.
• Actions are function-calls wired onto an Expert, backed by a Builder workflow. See Creating an Expert.

This page is about the built-in AI tools that come with the chat itself.

How tools surface

You see these tools in two places, and you never have to flip a switch for them.

Capability badges in the model selector. When you open the model picker, each model shows small badges for what it can do - “Web search,” “Code,” “Image gen,” “Reasoning,” and so on. Use these to pick a model that has what your task needs. No badge means the model cannot do that thing.

Progress badges during a reply. While the model works, it tells you which tool it is using - “Searching the web…,” “Running code…,” “Generating image….” This is your cue that the model picked up a tool to answer you, and it lets you follow what it is doing.

The built-in tools

Web search

The model looks things up on the web when your question needs current or outside information, then can cite the sources it used. This is handy for recent news, fresh pricing, the latest version of a product, or anything past the model’s training cutoff.

Image generation

Describe an image and the model creates one, shown right in the chat. Ask for a diagram, an illustration, a mockup, or a quick visual to go with your text.

Charts

When your data reads better as a picture, the model renders a chart inline - a bar chart of monthly totals, a trend line, a breakdown by category. You can ask for a chart directly or just hand over the numbers and ask for the clearest view.

Document export

Turn chat content into a file you can download. Ask the model to export or download, and it produces a Word document, PDF, PowerPoint deck, CSV, or Markdown file from what is in the conversation. This is the quick path from a draft in chat to a file you can share.

Code execution

The model runs code in a sandbox to work out an answer, then shows you the result. This is useful for calculations, data wrangling, and anything where running real code beats estimating.

Memory

Memory lets the model carry useful context from one chat into the next, so you do not repeat yourself. This is the one tool you control directly: turn it on or off under Profile then Memory. The rest are decided by the model. For what gets remembered and how to manage or import it, see Memory and Personalization.

Reasoning and extended thinking

Some models can spend extra effort thinking a problem through before they answer - shown as a “Reasoning” badge. This is a model capability rather than a tool the model calls, so there is nothing to switch on. Pick a model that shows the badge when you have a hard, multi-step problem and want the model to work more deliberately.

Picking the right model

Because tools ride along with the model, choosing a model is how you choose your tools:

• Need sources from the live web? Pick a model with the Web search badge.
• Want an image in your reply? Pick one with Image gen.
• Doing math or data work that should actually run? Pick one with Code.
• Tackling a thorny, multi-step question? Pick one with Reasoning.

If a model is missing the badge you need, switch models from the selector. The same picker is available inside Experts, Projects, and a normal chat. To weigh two models against each other on the same prompt, see AI Model Comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I turn a tool on or off? There is no per-tool switch. Which tools are available comes from the model you pick. The capability badges in the model selector show what a model can do, and the model uses those tools on its own when your request calls for them. The one exception is Memory, which you control under Profile then Memory.

Why can one model search the web but another cannot? Tools are tied to the model. If a model does not show a capability badge for web search, it cannot search the web. Switch to a model that shows the badge you need.

Can I make a model use a specific tool? You cannot force it, but you can steer it. Ask plainly - “search the web and cite your sources,” “make a chart of this,” “export this as a PowerPoint” - and a model that supports the tool will use it.

Are these the same as Connectors and Actions? No. The built-in tools on this page come with chat and depend on the model. Connectors are MCP integrations to outside systems, and Actions are function-calls set up on an Expert. See Connectors and Creating an Expert.

Related

• Starting a Chat - the composer, the model selector, and capability badges
• AI Model Comparison - test two models on the same prompt
• Memory and Personalization - control what ThreoAI remembers for you
• Connectors - bring outside systems into chat over MCP
• Creating an Expert - set up Actions on a reusable assistant