diff --git a/src/components/AnnouncementBanner/AnnouncementBanner.module.css b/src/components/AnnouncementBanner/AnnouncementBanner.module.css
index a59068b040..82c689c959 100644
--- a/src/components/AnnouncementBanner/AnnouncementBanner.module.css
+++ b/src/components/AnnouncementBanner/AnnouncementBanner.module.css
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
   color: #581c87;
 }
 
+.announcementContent :global(p) {
+  margin-top: 0;
+  margin-bottom: 0;
+}
+
 [data-theme="dark"] .announcementContent a:hover {
   color: #d8b4fe;
 }
diff --git a/src/components/AnnouncementBanner/AnnouncementBanner.tsx b/src/components/AnnouncementBanner/AnnouncementBanner.tsx
index 585699b202..ba1f5ba147 100644
--- a/src/components/AnnouncementBanner/AnnouncementBanner.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AnnouncementBanner/AnnouncementBanner.tsx
@@ -70,16 +70,16 @@ export default function AnnouncementBanner() {
         "text-base",
       ].join(" ")}
     >
-      <div className="mx-auto flex max-w-screen-xl items-start gap-3 px-4 py-3">
+      <div className="mx-auto flex max-w-screen-xl items-start gap-3 px-4 py-1">
         <div
-          className={`min-w-0 flex-1 leading-5 pt-3 text-center ${styles.announcementContent}`}
+          className={`min-w-0 flex-1 leading-5 pt-1 text-center ${styles.announcementContent}`}
         >
           <AnnouncementContent />
         </div>
         <button
           type="button"
           className={[
-            "shrink-0 rounded-md p-1.5 mt-3",
+            "shrink-0 rounded-md p-1 mt-1",
             "border-none bg-transparent cursor-pointer",
             "text-current opacity-60 hover:opacity-100 hover:bg-black/5",
             "transition-all duration-200",
diff --git a/src/components/welcomePage/HowToUseSection.tsx b/src/components/welcomePage/HowToUseSection.tsx
index 88fec26841..79658541dd 100644
--- a/src/components/welcomePage/HowToUseSection.tsx
+++ b/src/components/welcomePage/HowToUseSection.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import React from "react"
 import Link from "@docusaurus/Link"
+import KapaWidget from "@site/src/theme/KapaWidget"
 
 export function HowToUseSection() {
   const guides = [
@@ -36,8 +37,11 @@ export function HowToUseSection() {
           <p className="ory-body max-w-[800px]">
             Not sure where to start? Follow our guided paths—structured journeys
             that walk you through Ory's products and solutions so you can learn
-            and build faster.
+            and build faster. Or <b>ask our AI assistant</b> for help with your
+            specific use case.
           </p>
+
+          <KapaWidget placement="inline" />
         </div>
 
         <div
diff --git a/src/content/announcement-banner.mdx b/src/content/announcement-banner.mdx
index ad760a196c..c4603a07e4 100644
--- a/src/content/announcement-banner.mdx
+++ b/src/content/announcement-banner.mdx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 export const announcement = {
   enabled: true, // Toggle the banner on/off.
-  id: "talos-launch-2026-06-04", // Change this for every new announcement.
+  id: "askAI-inline-2026-07-03", // Change this for every new announcement.
   level: "info", // Visual emphasis: "info" | "warning" | "error" | "success"
 }
 
-Introducing Ory Talos — web-scale API Key server for secure (agentic) APIs.
-[Learn more](/docs/talos).
+**Ask AI is now on the home page — ask a question and get a sourced answer from
+the Ory docs. You'll also find it in the bottom-right corner of any page.**
diff --git a/src/theme/KapaWidget.tsx b/src/theme/KapaWidget.tsx
index b5b445f3d0..44e58f8fb7 100644
--- a/src/theme/KapaWidget.tsx
+++ b/src/theme/KapaWidget.tsx
@@ -3,10 +3,72 @@ import { useLocation } from "@docusaurus/router"
 
 const EXCLUDED_PATHS = ["/docs/kratos/fallback/error"]
 
-export default function KapaWidget() {
-  const [isScriptLoaded, setIsScriptLoaded] = useState(false)
+let scriptInjected = false
+
+// Kapa's official preinit stub: makes window.Kapa a queue before the bundle
+// loads, so calls made early (e.g. a fast Enter press) are queued and run
+// once initialization completes.
+function preinitKapa() {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") return
+  const w = window as any
+  if (!w.Kapa) {
+    const i: any = function () {
+      i.c(arguments)
+    }
+    i.q = []
+    i.c = function (args: any) {
+      i.q.push(args)
+    }
+    w.Kapa = i
+  }
+}
+
+function injectKapaScript() {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined" || scriptInjected) return
+  scriptInjected = true
+  preinitKapa()
+
+  const script = document.createElement("script")
+  script.src = "https://widget.kapa.ai/kapa-widget.bundle.js"
+  script.async = true
+  script.setAttribute("data-website-id", "e89e7663-df2c-4c7f-974a-1bf8accdd615")
+  script.setAttribute("data-project-name", "Ory")
+  script.setAttribute("data-project-color", "#1A237E")
+  script.setAttribute(
+    "data-modal-disclaimer",
+    "By utilizing this chatbot, you consent to the collection and transmission of data to kapa.ai, which may include your IP address. Please be advised that your privacy and data protection are of utmost importance to us. We assure you that any data collected will be handled in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. For further details on how your data is processed and used, we encourage you to review our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with these terms, we kindly request that you refrain from using this chatbot.",
+  )
+  script.setAttribute("data-modal-title", "Ory AI Copilot")
+  script.setAttribute("data-button-text", "Ask AI")
+  script.setAttribute("data-project-logo", "/docs/img/kapa-logo.png")
+  script.setAttribute("data-consent-required", "true")
+  script.setAttribute("data-button-hide", "true")
+  // Removed: data-modal-open-by-default and data-modal-override-open-class.
+  // We now open the widget programmatically via window.Kapa("open", ...).
+  script.setAttribute("data-mcp-enabled", "true")
+  script.setAttribute("data-mcp-server-url", "https://ory-docs.mcp.kapa.ai")
+  script.setAttribute("data-bot-protection-mechanism", "hcaptcha")
+  document.body.appendChild(script)
+}
+
+// opts omitted -> open empty; { query, submit: true } -> open mid-generation.
+function openKapa(opts?: { query: string; submit?: boolean }) {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") return
+  preinitKapa()
+  injectKapaScript()
+  ;(window as any).Kapa("open", opts)
+}
+
+type KapaWidgetProps = {
+  placement?: "floating" | "inline"
+}
+
+export default function KapaWidget({
+  placement = "floating",
+}: KapaWidgetProps) {
   const { pathname } = useLocation()
   const isExcluded = EXCLUDED_PATHS.includes(pathname)
+  const [query, setQuery] = useState("")
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (isExcluded && typeof window !== "undefined" && (window as any).Kapa) {
@@ -18,42 +80,71 @@ export default function KapaWidget() {
     return null
   }
 
-  const loadKapaWidget = () => {
-    if (isScriptLoaded) {
-      return
+  const PURPLE = "rgb(26, 35, 126)"
+
+  // ---- Inline ask bar: type a question, press Enter, opens mid-answer ----
+  if (placement === "inline") {
+    const handleSubmit = (e: React.FormEvent) => {
+      e.preventDefault()
+      const q = query.trim()
+      if (!q) return
+      openKapa({ query: q, submit: true })
+      setQuery("")
     }
 
-    const script = document.createElement("script")
-    script.src = "https://widget.kapa.ai/kapa-widget.bundle.js"
-    script.async = true
-    script.setAttribute(
-      "data-website-id",
-      "e89e7663-df2c-4c7f-974a-1bf8accdd615",
-    )
-    script.setAttribute("data-project-name", "Ory")
-    script.setAttribute("data-project-color", "#1A237E")
-    script.setAttribute(
-      "data-modal-disclaimer",
-      "By utilizing this chatbot, you consent to the collection and transmission of data to kapa.ai, which may include your IP address. Please be advised that your privacy and data protection are of utmost importance to us. We assure you that any data collected will be handled in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. For further details on how your data is processed and used, we encourage you to review our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with these terms, we kindly request that you refrain from using this chatbot.",
+    return (
+      <form
+        onSubmit={handleSubmit}
+        style={{
+          display: "flex",
+          alignItems: "center",
+          gap: "0.625rem",
+          width: "100%",
+          margin: "1.5rem auto 0",
+          padding: "0.75rem 1rem",
+          backgroundColor: "var(--ifm-background-color)",
+          border: `2px solid ${PURPLE}`,
+          borderRadius: "0.5rem",
+        }}
+      >
+        <img
+          src="/docs/img/kapa-logo.png"
+          alt=""
+          style={{
+            width: "1.5rem",
+            height: "1.5rem",
+            objectFit: "cover",
+            borderRadius: "0.25rem",
+            flexShrink: 0,
+          }}
+        />
+        <input
+          type="text"
+          value={query}
+          onChange={(e) => setQuery(e.target.value)}
+          onFocus={injectKapaScript} // preload the bundle on intent
+          placeholder="Ask AI anything..."
+          aria-label="Ask AI anything"
+          style={{
+            flex: 1,
+            border: "none",
+            outline: "none",
+            background: "transparent",
+            color: "var(--ifm-font-color-base)",
+            fontSize: "1rem",
+          }}
+        />
+      </form>
     )
-    script.setAttribute("data-modal-title", "Ory AI Copilot")
-    script.setAttribute("data-button-text", "Ask AI")
-    script.setAttribute("data-project-logo", "/docs/img/kapa-logo.png")
-    script.setAttribute("data-consent-required", "true")
-    script.setAttribute("data-button-hide", "true")
-    script.setAttribute("data-modal-override-open-id", "kapa-ai-button")
-    script.setAttribute("data-modal-open-by-default", "true")
-    script.setAttribute("data-mcp-enabled", "true")
-    script.setAttribute("data-mcp-server-url", "https://ory-docs.mcp.kapa.ai")
-    script.setAttribute("data-bot-protection-mechanism", "hcaptcha")
-    script.onload = () => setIsScriptLoaded(true)
-    document.body.appendChild(script)
   }
 
+  // ---- Floating button: opens the empty assistant ----
   return (
     <button
       id="kapa-ai-button"
       type="button"
+      aria-label="Ask AI"
+      onClick={() => openKapa()}
       style={{
         position: "fixed",
         bottom: "20px",
@@ -61,7 +152,7 @@ export default function KapaWidget() {
         height: "5rem",
         width: "4.5rem",
         padding: 0,
-        backgroundColor: "rgb(26, 35, 126)",
+        backgroundColor: PURPLE,
         boxShadow: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 10px",
         zIndex: 199,
         border: "none",
@@ -73,11 +164,10 @@ export default function KapaWidget() {
         justifyContent: "center",
         gap: "4px",
       }}
-      onClick={loadKapaWidget}
     >
       <img
         src="/docs/img/kapa-logo.png"
-        alt="Ask AI"
+        alt=""
         style={{
           width: "2rem",
           height: "2rem",