diff --git a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardEmptyState.tsx b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardEmptyState.tsx
index 7f2fee9d..6ed7c5ba 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardEmptyState.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/pages/Dashboard/canvas/DashboardEmptyState.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import React from 'react';
 import Box from '@mui/material/Box';
 import Typography from '@mui/material/Typography';
 import { motion, AnimatePresence } from 'framer-motion';
-import { Search, Hammer, PenLine, GraduationCap, ArrowLeft } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Search, Hammer, PenLine, GraduationCap, ArrowLeft, ArrowRight } from 'lucide-react';
 import type { LucideIcon } from 'lucide-react';
 import type { ClaudeTokens } from '@/shared/styles/claudeTokens';
 import { useDashboardActive } from '@/shared/hooks/useDashboardActive';
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ const DashboardEmptyState: React.FC<{
   const canRun = useAppSelector((s) => hasFreeTrialActive(s) || hasModelConnected(s));
   const [launching, setLaunching] = React.useState(false);
   const [expanded, setExpanded] = React.useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [intent, setIntent] = React.useState('');
   const currentCategory = STARTER_CATEGORIES.find((cat) => cat.id === expanded);
   const currentPrompts = currentCategory?.prompts ?? [];
 
@@ -96,6 +97,21 @@ const DashboardEmptyState: React.FC<{
     onLaunch(prompt, mode, model);
   };
 
+  // Personalized path: wrap the user's own words into a "be my team" brief so one
+  // agent immediately produces real, tailored artifacts (plain language, no questions
+  // back, so a non-dev sees value in seconds). One session = one free run.
+  const launchIntent = () => {
+    const v = intent.trim();
+    if (!v || launching || !onLaunch) return;
+    setLaunching(true);
+    const brief =
+      `Here's what I'm working on: ${v}. ` +
+      `Be my AI team and just get going, no questions back. Look into it, then make me ` +
+      `2-3 concrete things I can use right now (a quick research brief, a first draft, a simple plan), ` +
+      `and finish with what you'd tackle next. Keep it practical and plain.`;
+    onLaunch(brief, mode, model);
+  };
+
   return (
     <Box
       sx={{
@@ -137,6 +153,53 @@ const DashboardEmptyState: React.FC<{
 
       {showChips && (
         <Box sx={{ mt: 3, width: '100%', maxWidth: 560, pointerEvents: 'auto', display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', alignItems: 'center' }}>
+          {/* Personalized path: their own words put a tailored team to work. The generic
+              chips below stay for when they're not sure what they want yet. */}
+          <Box
+            sx={{
+              width: '100%', maxWidth: 480, mb: 2.2,
+              display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', gap: 1,
+              px: 1.6, py: 0.6,
+              borderRadius: 3,
+              border: `1px solid ${c.border.medium}`,
+              background: c.bg.surface,
+              transition: 'border-color 150ms',
+              '&:focus-within': { borderColor: c.accent.primary },
+            }}
+          >
+            <Box
+              component="input"
+              value={intent}
+              onChange={(e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => setIntent(e.target.value)}
+              onKeyDown={(e: React.KeyboardEvent) => { if (e.key === 'Enter') launchIntent(); }}
+              placeholder="Tell me what you're working on, I'll put a team on it"
+              disabled={launching}
+              sx={{
+                flex: 1, minWidth: 0,
+                border: 'none', outline: 'none', background: 'transparent',
+                color: c.text.primary, fontSize: '0.98rem', fontFamily: 'inherit',
+                py: 0.9,
+                '&::placeholder': { color: c.text.ghost },
+              }}
+            />
+            <Box
+              component="button"
+              onClick={launchIntent}
+              disabled={launching || !intent.trim()}
+              aria-label="Put a team on it"
+              sx={{
+                display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center',
+                width: 32, height: 32, flexShrink: 0,
+                borderRadius: '50%', border: 'none',
+                background: intent.trim() ? c.accent.primary : c.bg.elevated,
+                color: intent.trim() ? '#fff' : c.text.ghost,
+                cursor: intent.trim() && !launching ? 'pointer' : 'default',
+                transition: 'background 150ms',
+              }}
+            >
+              <ArrowRight size={18} />
+            </Box>
+          </Box>
           <AnimatePresence mode="wait" initial={false}>
             {expanded === null ? (
               <motion.div