Build a Telegram AI chatbot with human takeover using Trilox and GPT-4o-mini
Go to Workflow
Trilox
Description
> ⚠️ This template uses the Trilox community node (n8n-nodes-trilox) and requires self-hosted n8n.
Who is this for
n8n developers building Telegram chatbots who need to take over from the bot when it fails — without the customer getting double replies.
How it works
Customer sends a message on Telegram (text or voice)
The message is recorded to Trilox and the handler status is checked
If the bot is in control → the AI Agent responds with a structured escalation flag
After the AI responds, the handler is checked again — catching the race condition where a human took over while the AI was thinking
If the AI decides a human is needed → the conversation is escalated and the customer is notified
A human takes over from the Trilox inbox → the bot goes completely silent
The human replies from Trilox → the reply is forwarded to Telegram
Human hands back → bot resumes automatically
How to set up
Install the Trilox community node (Settings → Community Nodes → Install n8n-nodes-trilox)
Create a free account at trilox.io
Create a Project → App (inbox) → API Key in Trilox
Create a Telegram bot via @BotFather and get the API token
Set up credentials for Trilox, Telegram, and OpenAI in n8n
In all Trilox nodes, select your App from the dropdown
Update the AI Agent system prompt with your business info and escalation rules
Activate the workflow
Requirements
Self-hosted n8n (community nodes required)
Trilox account (trilox.io) — free plan available
Telegram Bot (via @BotFather)
OpenAI API key (or any LLM provider)
How to customize
Escalation rules:** Edit the system prompt to define when is_human_required should be true (refunds, complaints, billing)
Different LLM:** Replace OpenAI with OpenRouter, Anthropic, or any compatible model
Add channels:** The Channel Router has placeholders for WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Widget, and API
Remove voice:** Delete the voice branch if you don't need it
Add knowledge base:** Give the AI Agent tools (Google Docs, Notion, vector store)