AI Chatbot as a frontend for a Google Form

ai
Author

Andrea Zonca

Published

January 1, 2026

Download sourceContribute

Using a chatbot as a frontend for a Google Form can significantly improve user engagement and completion rates. Instead of a static form, users interact with a conversational interface that guides them through the questions, validates their input, and submits the data seamlessly. This approach is particularly useful for lead generation, surveys, and feedback collection, providing a modern and user-friendly experience.

Step 1: Get Google AI Studio API Key

  1. Go to Google AI Studio.
  2. Create a free API key. It is always free for the free tier.
  3. Save it in a .env file in an empty folder:
GOOGLE_AI_STUDIO_API_KEY=your_api_key_here

Step 2: Create the bot using Codex CLI

  1. Open your terminal.
  2. Navigate to the folder where you saved the .env file.
  3. Run the Codex CLI by typing codex in your terminal.
  4. Paste the following prompt to create the bot:
Create a local **TypeScript (Node.js)** project: a **Gemini 3 Flash** chatbot that collects lead/contact info and **submits it to this Google Form**:

[https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMLg8CT19TR38gzNso1kf5SnPOitt1-XTSC262addWlBnytQ/viewform?usp=dialog](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeMLg8CT19TR38gzNso1kf5SnPOitt1-XTSC262addWlBnytQ/viewform?usp=dialog)

Constraints

* Read `GOOGLE_AI_STUDIO_API_KEY` from `.env`. Keep the key server-side (never expose to browser).
* Provide a minimal chat UI (`index.html`) served locally, calling a backend API (`/api/chat`, `/api/submit`).

Form handling (important)

* **Inspect/fetch the form HTML and automatically derive the required fields + their `entry.<id>` names** (do not hardcode field IDs).
* Build the mapping from the inspected form to the chatbot’s structured state, then POST to the form `formResponse` endpoint.

Bot behavior

* Ask for missing required fields one at a time, validate obvious formats (e.g., email), then show a final summary and require explicit user confirmation before submitting.

Testing

* Add unit tests (Vitest/Jest) for: form field extraction, validation, conversation state, and submission (HTTP mocked).
* Include a “test mode” flag that prevents real submissions and logs the payload.

Deliverables

* Working `npm` scripts: `dev`, `start`, `test`, and a short `README.md` to run locally.