FAQ: AI tools, the connector (MCP) and skills explained simply

New to AI, connectors or skills? Everything is explained here in plain English. All the AI tools are optional: you can do everything in the app yourself.

What are the "AI tools" in SureFire Deadlines?

There are three, and all of them are optional:

• Dash, your AI setup coach: a help button on every page of your account. Ask "How do I put the timer in Kit?" and it answers with the exact steps for your campaign. It's included; you don't need your own AI account.
• The AI connector: lets the AI assistant you already use (Claude or ChatGPT) work inside your SureFire Deadlines account for you.
• The Promotion Skill: teaches your AI how to plan a whole promotion like a pro.

What is an "AI connector" (MCP), in plain English?

Think of it as a secure plug between your AI assistant and an app. Normally, ChatGPT or Claude can only talk; it can't touch your tools. Once you connect SureFire Deadlines, you can type "Set up a holiday sale countdown ending Monday at midnight and give me the Kit code" and your AI actually does it in your account. "MCP" (Model Context Protocol) is just the name of the open standard these plugs use, the way "USB" is the name for the plug on your laptop. You don't need to know how it works to use it.

How do I connect my AI? Do I need an API key?

No API key needed. In SureFire Deadlines, go to AI → Connect your AI and copy your connector address. In Claude, add it under Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector. In ChatGPT, open Plugins, click + → Add custom MCP server, choose OAuth and install it. Then log in to SureFire Deadlines when asked and click Allow. It takes about a minute. (Your AI app's plan needs to support custom connectors: in ChatGPT that's Business, Enterprise or Edu.)

What is an "agent skill"?

A skill is like a training manual you hand to your AI. AI assistants are smart but general. Our Promotion Skill teaches yours how deadline marketing actually works: which kind of deadline to use, what emails to send and when, what to post each day, and how to use SureFire Deadlines to do it. Download it from the AI page and add it to Claude in one step. Then ask "Plan my holiday sale" and you get a real plan, not generic advice.

Is my data safe when I connect my AI?

Your AI only gets access after you log in and click Allow, and you can disconnect it any time from the API page in your account. It can only do what you could do yourself in your account. Read more in our Privacy Policy.

What are API tokens for? Do I need one?

Most people never need one. API tokens are for developers and coding tools (like Claude Code or Cursor) that connect directly instead of through the connector. You create and delete them on the API page, and you can see when each was last used. Keep them private, like a password.

Is there a limit on the AI helper?

Dash, the built-in AI helper, has a generous daily fair-use limit so it stays fast for everyone. Your own connected AI (Claude or ChatGPT) follows your plan with that company.

Need help? Ask Dash, the AI coach in the bottom corner of every page in the app. Still stuck? Click the help button on this page to send us your question. To report a bug or suggest an idea, use Founders Lab in the app's top menu.