Why connect my knowledge base to my AI?

So you stop re-pasting context. Every chat starts with your library already loaded — your saved videos, podcasts, PDFs, articles. The AI reads what's relevant on demand.

Do I need a paid plan to connect my AI over MCP?

No. MCP access is included on every plan, including Free. What differs by tier is the credit allowance and the size of the free allowances. Saving items is free and earns +1 credit. On Free, MCP searches are free up to 1,000 a month and questions to your library up to 50 a day; past that they spend credits, as do other AI actions. Free starts with 30 credits a month.

Where do I get an API key?

Sign in to BrainTube and create one under Settings. Keys are shown once at creation, hashed at rest, and can be rotated or revoked anytime.

Is BrainTube in the official MCP registry?

Yes — and on Smithery. You can discover and add BrainTube through either, in addition to the manual JSON config.

Your library is stored in the EU, private to your account, and not shared. AI providers process content to transcribe, summarise and embed it. BrainTube doesn't train models on your library.

Guide · Setup

Connect Claude, ChatGPT & Cursor to your knowledge base

Save once. Query anywhere. Point your AI clients at your BrainTube library over MCP and stop re-pasting context every session.

By Ilian Raykov, founder of BrainTube

The short answer

Add the BrainTube MCP endpoint, https://mcp.brain-tube.com/mcp, to each AI client once. Claude.ai and Claude Desktop connect with OAuth and need no API key; Cursor uses the same URL with an X-BrainTube-Token header. ChatGPT signs in the same way, with no key. Every connected client then reads the same compiled knowledge base.

Why connect your KB to your AI

Without a shared memory, every chat starts from zero — and the same context lives in your head, in a notes app, and pasted into three different assistants. Connecting your knowledge base over MCP gives every AI you use the same recall, on demand.

BrainTube is the memory that fills itself from what you save: YouTube, podcasts, PDFs, EPUBs, web articles, Notion (4-hour sync), meeting audio and screenshots. Once it's in, every connected AI can read it. If you switch between assistants, see how to share notes and memory between ChatGPT and Claude.

Per-client setup

Tested with Claude and ChatGPT; any client that speaks MCP streamable-HTTP uses the same endpoint.

1. Claude.ai — one-click OAuth

Open Claude.ai → Customize → Connectors → + Add → Add custom connector. Paste https://mcp.brain-tube.com/mcp and sign in when prompted. No API key needed; Claude.ai uses OAuth.

2. Claude Desktop — same connector

Claude Desktop adds BrainTube the same way: Customize → Connectors → + Add → Add custom connector, paste https://mcp.brain-tube.com/mcp and sign in. Connectors belong to your Claude account, so if you already added BrainTube in Claude.ai, it's in Claude Desktop too.

Don't add BrainTube to Claude Desktop's config file. That file (Settings → Developer → Edit Config) only starts local servers, so a URL entry there won't connect. For local servers, it lives at:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json, or for the Microsoft Store (MSIX) install %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\Claude_pzs8sxrjxfjjc\LocalCache\Roaming\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json. On the Store install, Edit Config can open the first file while the app reads the second.

3. Cursor — Settings → MCP

Cursor → Settings → MCP → Add Server. Use the same URL and header. Save and restart.

4. ChatGPT

In ChatGPT, open Settings › Plugins › Add › Add custom MCP server. Paste https://mcp.brain-tube.com/mcp, choose OAuth, tick the risk box, then Create and Connect, and sign in to BrainTube. It works on the Free plan. ChatGPT searches your library and links each answer to the saved item. Full steps for every client are on the connect page.

Discoverable in the official MCP registry + Smithery

BrainTube is listed in the official MCP registry and on Smithery, so any MCP-aware client can find and add it without you copy-pasting URLs.

Where to get your API key

Frequently asked

Why connect my knowledge base to my AI?: So you stop re-pasting context. Every chat starts with your library already loaded — your saved videos, podcasts, PDFs, articles. The AI reads what's relevant on demand.
Do I need a paid plan to connect my AI over MCP?: No. MCP access is included on every plan, including Free. What differs by tier is the credit allowance and the size of the free allowances. Saving items is free and earns +1 credit. On Free, MCP searches are free up to 1,000 a month and questions to your library up to 50 a day; past that they spend credits, as do other AI actions. Free starts with 30 credits a month.
Where do I get an API key?: Sign in to BrainTube and create one under Settings. Keys are shown once at creation, hashed at rest, and can be rotated or revoked anytime.
Is BrainTube in the official MCP registry?: Yes — and on Smithery. You can discover and add BrainTube through either, in addition to the manual JSON config.
Is my data private?: Your library is stored in the EU, private to your account, and not shared. AI providers process content to transcribe, summarise and embed it. BrainTube doesn't train models on your library.

Save once. Query anywhere.

Your YouTube library, in the AI tools you already use.

Start free