diff --git a/frontend/components/chat/ai-setup-notice.tsx b/frontend/components/chat/ai-setup-notice.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6856339
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/components/chat/ai-setup-notice.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { Sparkles, X } from "lucide-react";
+import Link from "next/link";
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { getAiConfig } from "@/lib/ai-settings";
+
+// A single, dismissible heads-up shown above the chat input on a fresh chat when
+// no AI provider is configured yet (no API key, and no local Ollama). It only
+// renders on the empty state, so it naturally disappears once a message is sent.
+export function AiSetupNotice() {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
+  const [needsSetup, setNeedsSetup] = useState(false);
+  const [dismissed, setDismissed] = useState(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let active = true;
+    getAiConfig()
+      .then((cfg) => {
+        if (!active) return;
+        // Configured = an API key for any provider, or a local Ollama endpoint.
+        const hasApiKey = Object.values(cfg.apiKeySet).some(Boolean);
+        const hasLocal =
+          cfg.mode === "local" && cfg.ollamaBaseUrl.trim().length > 0;
+        setNeedsSetup(!(hasApiKey || hasLocal));
+      })
+      .catch(() => {
+        // If we can't read the config, don't nag — the chat still works.
+        if (active) setNeedsSetup(false);
+      });
+    return () => {
+      active = false;
+    };
+  }, []);
+
+  if (!needsSetup || dismissed) return null;
+
+  return (
+    <div
+      className="flex w-full items-start gap-3 rounded-2xl border border-info/30 bg-info/8 px-4 py-3 text-sm dark:bg-info/12"
+      role="status"
+    >
+      <Sparkles className="mt-0.5 size-4 shrink-0 text-info-foreground" />
+      <div className="flex-1 space-y-0.5">
+        <p className="font-medium text-foreground">
+          {t("chat.setupNotice.title")}
+        </p>
+        <p className="text-muted-foreground">{t("chat.setupNotice.body")}</p>
+        <Button
+          className="mt-1 px-0 text-info-foreground"
+          render={<Link href="/settings?tab=ai" />}
+          size="sm"
+          variant="link"
+        >
+          {t("chat.setupNotice.action")}
+        </Button>
+      </div>
+      <button
+        aria-label={t("chat.setupNotice.dismiss")}
+        className="-mr-1 shrink-0 rounded-md p-1 text-muted-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-accent hover:text-foreground"
+        onClick={() => setDismissed(true)}
+        type="button"
+      >
+        <X className="size-4" />
+      </button>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/components/chat/chat-panel.tsx b/frontend/components/chat/chat-panel.tsx
index 8e222be..9c24702 100644
--- a/frontend/components/chat/chat-panel.tsx
+++ b/frontend/components/chat/chat-panel.tsx
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import {
   ToolOutput,
 } from "@/components/ai-elements/tool";
 import { ActionPreviewCard } from "@/components/chat/action-preview-card";
+import { AiSetupNotice } from "@/components/chat/ai-setup-notice";
 import { AnalyticsCard } from "@/components/chat/analytics-card";
 import { BatchActionPreviewCard } from "@/components/chat/batch-action-preview-card";
 import { ChatHistoryPanel } from "@/components/chat/chat-history-panel";
@@ -722,6 +723,9 @@ export function ChatPanel() {
           <div className="flex w-full flex-col gap-3">
             {errorAlert}
             {veilGate}
+            {/* One-time setup heads-up — only on the empty state, so it clears
+                itself once the first message is sent. */}
+            <AiSetupNotice />
             {promptInput}
             <Suggestions className="justify-center pt-1">
               {suggestions.map((s) => (