Build an Email-Powered AI Agent in 5 Minutes [2026]

What We’re Building

In this tutorial, you’ll build an AI agent workflow that can:

1. Create its own email address
2. Register on a website using that address
3. Automatically extract the verification code
4. Send a confirmation email back

Prerequisites

You need an agentsbase API key. Get one for free at agentsbase.net/login.

export AGENTSBASE_API_KEY="ak_your_key_here"

Step 1: Create a Mailbox

RESULT=$(curl -s -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AGENTSBASE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  https://agentsbase.net/api/register -d '{}')

MAILBOX=$(echo $RESULT | jq -r '.mailbox')
TOKEN=$(echo $RESULT | jq -r '.token')
echo "Agent email: $MAILBOX"

Your agent now has an address like swift-fox-1234@agentsbase.net.

Step 2: Use the Email for Registration

Have your agent fill in registration forms using $MAILBOX as the email. Then wait for the verification code:

SINCE=$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)
# ... agent submits registration form ...

CODE=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
  "https://agentsbase.net/api/code?to=$MAILBOX&timeout=55&since=$SINCE" \
  | jq -r '.code')
echo "Got verification code: $CODE"

Step 3: Send a Confirmation

curl -s -X POST \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  https://agentsbase.net/api/send \
  -d '{"from":"'$MAILBOX'","to":["admin@example.com"],"subject":"Registration Complete","text":"Agent registered successfully with code '$CODE'"}'

MCP Alternative

If your agent runs in Claude Code, skip the API calls entirely. Add agentsbase as an MCP server and your agent can use natural language to manage emails:

claude mcp add agentsbase-mcp -e AGENTSBASE_API_KEY=ak_xxx -- npx -y agentsbase-mcp

Then just ask: “Create a mailbox and wait for a verification code.”