Power Platform Community Forum Thread Details

Hi, I'm going crazy because I can't find the “Builders” feature in the Automate Desktop app.

I'm currently using the Automate Premium trial, so I have access to all the “Premium” features. I've already set up the AI with various documents, but I can't find the action to activate them in the workflow.Meanwhile, in the Automate Cloud online app, I can find it without any trouble.

My problem is that I’m creating an automation for a APP installed on my PC, so I need the automation to run on the desktop.

Thanks

Categories:

AI Builder

Hi @AM-26031232-0,

This is by design.
AI Builder actions are not available in Power Automate Desktop (PAD). They exist only in Cloud flows.

Why you see them in Cloud but not Desktop:

AI Builder is a cloud Cloud Service (SaaS) requiring massive Azure compute power
PAD runs locally on the machine and use local resources
There are no native AI Builder actions in PAD today (even with Premium or trial).

Microsoft keeps AI processing in the cloud to ensure models are always updated and don't drain your local CPU/RAM.

How to use AI Builder with Desktop apps (supported pattern):

Create a Cloud flow with AI Builder (document processing, text extraction, etc.)
Expose the Cloud flow using “Run a flow built with Power Automate” or HTTP/Dataverse trigger
Call that Cloud flow from Power Automate Desktop
Use the returned results inside your desktop automation

This is the official and recommended approach for desktop scenarios.

If you are processing many documents, upload them to OneDrive or SharePoint from PAD first. Then, simply pass the File Link to the Cloud Flow instead of the heavy file content to keep your automation fast.

Why your search returns nothing in PAD:
The “Builders” actions simply do not exist in Power Automate Desktop, so the search shows empty results.

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