diff --git a/apps/backend/.env.example b/apps/backend/.env.example
index 8c7df3951..d639840f1 100644
--- a/apps/backend/.env.example
+++ b/apps/backend/.env.example
@@ -19,4 +19,4 @@ TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY=
 # Optional: leave empty to disable AI adapt (the endpoint returns 501). The
 # execution worker keeps its own key for running workflows.
 OPENROUTER_API_KEY=
-AI_MODEL=google/gemini-2.5-flash-lite
+AI_MODEL=mistralai/mistral-small-3.2-24b-instruct
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/env.ts b/apps/backend/src/env.ts
index cc2e7543e..278e18aa8 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/env.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/env.ts
@@ -20,5 +20,5 @@ export const env = {
   TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY: process.env['TURNSTILE_SECRET_KEY'] ?? null,
   // Null = the "AI adapt" endpoint is disabled (returns 501). The worker keeps its own key.
   OPENROUTER_API_KEY: process.env['OPENROUTER_API_KEY'] ?? null,
-  AI_MODEL: envOr('AI_MODEL', 'google/gemini-2.5-flash-lite'),
+  AI_MODEL: envOr('AI_MODEL', 'mistralai/mistral-small-3.2-24b-instruct'),
 };
diff --git a/apps/execution-worker/.env.example b/apps/execution-worker/.env.example
index 4a2aaf531..94e2ecd4c 100644
--- a/apps/execution-worker/.env.example
+++ b/apps/execution-worker/.env.example
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ TEMPORAL_ADDRESS=127.0.0.1:7233
 
 # OpenRouter — any model
 OPENROUTER_API_KEY=sk-or-...
-AI_MODEL=google/gemini-2.5-flash-lite
+AI_MODEL=mistralai/mistral-small-3.2-24b-instruct
 
 # Tavily web search (optional). Enables the AI Agent's "Web search" tool. Get a
 # free key at https://tavily.com (free tier ~1000 searches/month). Leave empty
diff --git a/apps/execution-worker/src/env.ts b/apps/execution-worker/src/env.ts
index c86338aa9..5bbd6a61a 100644
--- a/apps/execution-worker/src/env.ts
+++ b/apps/execution-worker/src/env.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export const env = {
   TEMPORAL_ADDRESS: envOr('TEMPORAL_ADDRESS', '127.0.0.1:7233'),
   OPENROUTER_API_KEY: requireEnv('OPENROUTER_API_KEY'),
   // Cheap, fast default for the public demo; quality-per-cost over frontier capability.
-  AI_MODEL: envOr('AI_MODEL', 'google/gemini-2.5-flash-lite'),
+  AI_MODEL: envOr('AI_MODEL', 'mistralai/mistral-small-3.2-24b-instruct'),
   // Optional. Enables the AI Agent's web-search tool; agents run without it when unset.
   TAVILY_API_KEY: process.env['TAVILY_API_KEY'],
 };
diff --git a/deploy/ai-studio/.env.example b/deploy/ai-studio/.env.example
index b80d85932..6d250ca1d 100644
--- a/deploy/ai-studio/.env.example
+++ b/deploy/ai-studio/.env.example
@@ -9,10 +9,15 @@ OPENROUTER_API_KEY=
 
 # --- LLM --------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-# WB-229 demo model. Cheap, EU-hosted, solid tool calling.
+# Demo model. Cheap, EU-hosted, solid tool calling.
 # ~$0.075/M input + $0.20/M output => ~$0.0004 per 3-call template run.
 AI_MODEL=mistralai/mistral-small-3.2-24b-instruct
 
+# Tavily web search (optional). Enables the AI Agent's "Web search" tool -
+# free key at https://tavily.com (~1000 searches/month). Leave empty to
+# disable: agents with web search toggled on still run, just without the tool.
+TAVILY_API_KEY=
+
 # --- abuse gate (per-IP, execute route) ---------------------------------------
 
 RATE_LIMIT_EXECUTE_PER_MINUTE=10
diff --git a/deploy/ai-studio/docker-compose.yml b/deploy/ai-studio/docker-compose.yml
index b891cea66..5eed67bf7 100644
--- a/deploy/ai-studio/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/deploy/ai-studio/docker-compose.yml
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ services:
       TRUST_PROXY: 'true'
       RATE_LIMIT_EXECUTE_PER_MINUTE: ${RATE_LIMIT_EXECUTE_PER_MINUTE:-10}
       RATE_LIMIT_EXECUTE_PER_DAY: ${RATE_LIMIT_EXECUTE_PER_DAY:-50}
+      # the backend calls the LLM itself for /api/visualize/adapt
+      OPENROUTER_API_KEY: ${OPENROUTER_API_KEY:?set OPENROUTER_API_KEY in deploy/ai-studio/.env}
+      AI_MODEL: ${AI_MODEL:-mistralai/mistral-small-3.2-24b-instruct}
     depends_on:
       app-db:
         condition: service_healthy
@@ -111,6 +114,8 @@ services:
       TEMPORAL_ADDRESS: temporal:7233
       OPENROUTER_API_KEY: ${OPENROUTER_API_KEY:?set OPENROUTER_API_KEY in deploy/ai-studio/.env}
       AI_MODEL: ${AI_MODEL:-mistralai/mistral-small-3.2-24b-instruct}
+      # optional - empty disables the AI Agent's web search tool
+      TAVILY_API_KEY: ${TAVILY_API_KEY:-}
     depends_on:
       app-db:
         condition: service_healthy