Payload AI

Translate content to different languages using OpenAI's GPT.

How to install the plugin

Install via npm:

npm install payload-ai

Or yarn:

yarn add payload-ai

To install the plugin, simply add it to your payload.config() in the Plugin array.

import { aiTranslatorPlugin } from 'payload-ai'

export const config = buildConfig({
  plugins: [
    // You can pass options to the plugin
    aiTranslatorPlugin({
      enabled: true,
      collections: {},
    }),
  ],
})

Collection translation 📦

Add the collections where you want to enable the translation and the fields. It will translate each field (also nested fields) on every update of the default language.

plugins: [
  aiTranslatorPlugin({
    enabled: true,
    collections: {
      examples: { // Name of the collection you want to add translations
        fields: [
          'stringText', // Keys of fields you want to translate (wil also translate nested fields)
          'richText',
        ],
      },
    },
  }),
],

Set enabled: false to leave the Payload config unchanged. The plugin also works with collections omitted, but document translation controls are only added to collections that are listed in collections.

Custom prompts by Field

Use promptFunc for each field to customize the prompt.

plugins: [
  aiTranslatorPlugin({
    enabled: true,
    collections: {
      examples: {
        settings: {
          model: 'gpt-5-mini',
          promptFunc: ({ messages, namespace }) => {
            return [
              {
                role: 'system',
                content:
                  'Important: Add a smily face at the end of the message to make the AI more friendly. 😊',
              },
              ...messages,
            ]
          },
        },
      },
    },
  }),
],

The function will allow you to use the following

• req: Request

• doc Document in languages

• previousDoc Old document (only available on Update)

• targetDoc The old target document

• collectionOptions

• language

• translatorConfig language: string, sourceLanguage?: string,

• targetField

• sourceField

Use with payload-seo

import {generateTitle, generateDescription } from "payload-ai";

seo({
  collections: ['examples'],
  // uploadsCollection: 'media',
  generateTitle: generateTitle,
  generateDescription: ({ doc }) => generateDescription,
});

String translation

Use this to provide a backend for i18next string translations.

plugins: [
  aiTranslatorPlugin({
    enabled: true,
    stringTranslation: {
      enabled: true,
    },
  }),
],

Change model for string translation

To update the model you can change the collection settings in the same way as with other collections.

plugins: [
  aiTranslatorPlugin({
    enabled: true,
    stringTranslation: {
      enabled: true,
    },
    collections: {
      translations: {
        settings: {
          model: 'gpt-5-mini',
        },
      },
    },
  }),
],

Text generation endpoint

When enabled, the plugin exposes /api/generate-text. The endpoint uses the plugin access checks, requires a logged-in user when no collection access rule applies, and only accepts an allow-list of models.

plugins: [
  aiTranslatorPlugin({
    enabled: true,
    generateText: {
      defaultModel: 'gpt-5-mini',
      maxOutputTokens: 2048,
      models: ['gpt-5-mini', 'gpt-4.1-mini'],
    },
  }),
]

Set generateText.enabled to false if you do not need this endpoint.

Access control

By default the plugin will use the update access control of the collection.

To overwrite that behaviour you can add access to the collections configuration. If no collection update access rule is available, plugin endpoints require an authenticated user.

plugins: [
  aiTranslatorPlugin({
    enabled: true,
    stringTranslation: {
      enabled: true,
    },
    collections: {
      examples: {
        access: () => true,
      },
    },
  }),
],

Use in hooks

TODO: add documentation

myCollectionPrompt = ({source}) => {

source()

return }