AI-powered Extensions for VCL

• Dec 05, 2025
• 6 minutes to read

AI-powered Extensions leverage advanced natural language processing (NLP) technologies to offer automated, intelligent text editing functionality directly within your VCL applications.

Note

All DevExpress AI-powered Extensions follow the bring your own key principle. DevExpress does not offer a REST API and does not ship any built-in LLMs/SLMs. You need an active Azure, OpenAI, or other AI service subscription to obtain the REST API endpoint, key, and model deployment name.

AI-powered Context Commands for Native VCL Controls

All DevExpress controls listed in this section can display a context menu populated with a list of predefined AI-powered user commands (AI Assistant) if an AI service provider is registered and AI user commands are initialized.

Predefined AI-powered Context Commands

Change Style

Rephrases or paraphrases selected text while retaining its original meaning (12 predefined styles available).

Change Tone

Adjusts the text tone to meet specific audience or context requirements (Casual, Confident, Friendly, Professional, Straightforward).

Expand

Expands original text with additional information or in-depth explanations.

Explain

Rephrases text in more clear terms and makes complex content more accessible and understandable.

Proofread

Reviews text for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and style errors.

Shorten

Removes redundant details and makes content more concise.

Summarize

Creates a brief summary based on original text.

Translate

Translates original text into a different language (English, German, French).

Native VCL Controls with Support for AI Assistant Context Commands

ExpressRichEditControl

TdxRichEditControl

A fully-functional rich text editor with advanced formatting and display capabilities you expect from a modern word processor. If an AI service provider is registered and AI user commands are initialized, the Rich Edit control can display these commands grouped within a context menu’s AI Assistant item.

You can handle the TdxRichEditControl.OnGetAICommands event to manage the list of available AI-powered commands and change their status depending on specific conditions in your application. For example, you can hide or disable AI Assistant commands if no content is selected in the editor.

Tip

Refer to the TdxRichEditControl.OnGetAICommands event description for additional information and code examples.

Multi-Line Text Editors

TcxRichEdit

A simple rich text editor (a DevExpress wrapper for the standard TRichEdit component. TcxRichEdit adds support for skins and deep integration with other DevExpress VCL components).

TcxMemo | TcxDBMemo

Unbound and data-aware memo editors for plain text content (multi-line text boxes).

Similar to TdxRichEditControl, all listed ExpressEditors can display the same list of AI-powered commands if an AI service is registered. You can also handle the Properties.OnGetAICommands event for any supported editor to manage the list of available AI Assistant commands.

Related Compiled Demo

To see AI-powered commands in action, run the Word Processing RTF demo in the VCL Demo Center installed with compiled VCL DevExpress demos. Select a text range, right-click and select AI Assistant to use all available AI-powered commands.

Download: Compiled VCL Demos

Tip

You can find full source code for the installed Rich Edit control demo in the following folder:

%PUBLIC%\Documents\DevExpress VCL Demos\MegaDemos\Product Demos\ExpressRichEditControl

AI-powered Smart Paste for Native VCL Controls

A Smart Paste command analyzes clipboard content and intelligently assigns the correct values (in specific formats) to corresponding editors in a complex UI layout or grid cells if an AI service provider is registered and active.

The active AI service provider relies on specified editor descriptions (in a natural language) to determine the correct paste targets and data formats.

Native VCL Control with Support for AI-powered Smart Paste

The following controls support AI-powered Smart Paste functionality for embedded/in-place^[1] DevExpress editors:

TdxLayoutControl

The Layout control is designed to arrange controls on a form without overlapping or misalignment.

A Smart Paste operation populates embedded (and configured) DevExpress editors and compatible auxiliary layout items (check boxes and radio buttons) using a specified string or clipboard content as a source. Layout item classes implement AI^[2] properties you can use to configure interaction between embedded editors and the active AI service provider.

Smart Paste operations are available for individual layout groups and at the global (layout control) level.

TcxGrid

The Data Grid control allows you to display data as a table and in a variety of other formats. The control has multiple built-in features that allow users to shape and edit data.

A Smart Paste operation populates configured columns using a specified string or clipboard content as a source. Data Grid item (column) classes implement the AI property you can use to configure interaction between columns/in-place editors and the active AI service provider.

Smart Paste operations are available at the grid View level. Call the SmartPaste procedure for a grid View to populate all configured columns in the View using the AI-powered Smart Paste functionality.

AI-powered Command Implementation for Native VCL Controls

In v25.2, we do not ship dedicated APIs for native DevExpress VCL controls. At present, Embarcadero’s SmartCore AI platform is under active development. Once SmartCore APIs reach a production-ready state, we will integrate them into our AI-powered commands for native VCL controls.

Tip

VCL developers can use SmartCore AI Components shipped through the GetIt package manager, connect third-party libraries, or implement custom support for different AI providers.

GitHub-Hosted Examples

The following GitHub-hosted examples demonstrate how to add AI-powered capabilities to native DevExpress VCL components:

Embarcadero SmartCore AI-Based Solution

View Example: DevExpress VCL — Integrate SmartCore AI Component Library

Third-Party Library-Based AI Solutions

View Example: DevExpress VCL Data Grid — Smart Semantic AI Filter View Example: DevExpress VCL — Integrate a Third-Party AI/LLM Provider Library

DevExpress AI-powered Extensions for ExpressReports

The TdxReport component supports the same AI-powered extensions available for DevExpress Web Reports – Summarize, Translate, Preview Generation, etc.

Refer to the following topic for detailed information in this regard: AI-powered Extensions for DevExpress Reporting.

Enable AI-powered Extensions for ExpressReports

You can enable DevExpress AI-powered Extensions in your ExpressReports-based application in the Project Settings dialog. Open the Reports tab and specify REST API endpoint URI, valid API key, and model/deployment name for the selected AI service.

Related Compiled Demo

To see the TdxReport component in action (including AI-powered capabilities), run the Report Designer/Viewer demo in the VCL Demo Center installed with compiled VCL DevExpress demos. Click different items in the sidebar on the left to switch between demo features.

Download: Compiled VCL Demos

Tip

You can find full source code for the installed compiled Report demo in the following folder:

%PUBLIC%\Documents\DevExpress VCL Demos\MegaDemos\Product Demos\ExpressReports

Footnotes

1. Standalone/individual DevExpress Editors do not support Smart Paste operations.

2. Use the following links to navigate to corresponding topic descriptions:

   • TdxLayoutControlItem.AI (for associated/embedded DevExpress editors)
   • TdxCustomLayoutCheckableItem.AI (for layout check boxes and radio buttons)