diff --git a/api/src/index.js b/api/src/index.js
index 4ed8d88..58553c9 100644
--- a/api/src/index.js
+++ b/api/src/index.js
@@ -76,6 +76,56 @@ app.get('/search', async (c) => {
   })
 })
 
+// AI answer box — cited RAG over the index with Claude.
+const ANTHROPIC_KEY = process.env.ANTHROPIC_API_KEY
+const ANSWER_MODEL = process.env.ANSWER_MODEL || 'claude-haiku-4-5'
+const answerCache = new Map() // q -> { at, payload }
+
+app.get('/answer', async (c) => {
+  const q = c.req.query('q')?.trim()
+  if (!q) return c.json({ error: 'missing q' }, 400)
+  if (!ANTHROPIC_KEY) return c.json({ error: 'answers disabled' }, 503)
+
+  const key = q.toLowerCase()
+  const cached = answerCache.get(key)
+  if (cached && Date.now() - cached.at < 3_600_000) return c.json(cached.payload)
+
+  const result = await meiliSearch(q, 0, 6)
+  const hits = result.hits ?? []
+  if (hits.length === 0) return c.json({ answer: null, sources: [], query: q })
+
+  const sources = hits.map((h, i) => ({
+    n: i + 1, title: h.title, url: h.url, domain: h.domain,
+    snippet: (h.description || '').slice(0, 300),
+  }))
+  const context = sources.map(s => `[${s.n}] ${s.title} — ${s.domain}\n${s.snippet}`).join('\n\n')
+
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch('https://api.anthropic.com/v1/messages', {
+      method: 'POST',
+      headers: {
+        'x-api-key': ANTHROPIC_KEY,
+        'anthropic-version': '2023-06-01',
+        'content-type': 'application/json',
+      },
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        model: ANSWER_MODEL,
+        max_tokens: 400,
+        system: 'You are a search answer engine over the open web. Answer the query in 2-4 concise sentences using ONLY the numbered sources. Cite claims inline like [1][2]. If the sources do not contain the answer, say so briefly. Never invent facts or URLs.',
+        messages: [{ role: 'user', content: `Query: ${q}\n\nSources:\n${context}` }],
+      }),
+      signal: AbortSignal.timeout(20000),
+    })
+    const data = await res.json()
+    const answer = data.content?.map(b => b.text).join('') ?? null
+    const payload = { answer, sources, query: q, model: ANSWER_MODEL }
+    answerCache.set(key, { at: Date.now(), payload })
+    return c.json(payload)
+  } catch (e) {
+    return c.json({ answer: null, sources, query: q, error: e.message }, 502)
+  }
+})
+
 // P2P: register as peer
 app.post('/peers/register', async (c) => {
   const { id, url } = await c.req.json()
diff --git a/frontend/src/index.ts b/frontend/src/index.ts
index aebbe8c..124d380 100644
--- a/frontend/src/index.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/index.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,16 @@ const CSS = `
   }
   .results-logo { font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700; white-space: nowrap; color: var(--title); }
   .results-logo span { color: var(--accent); }
+
+  /* AI answer card */
+  .answer-card { background: var(--surface); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-left: 3px solid var(--accent); padding: 15px 18px; margin: 0 0 24px; }
+  .answer-card.hidden { display: none; }
+  .answer-label { font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 2px; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--accent); margin-bottom: 9px; }
+  .answer-body { font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.65; color: var(--text); }
+  .answer-body sup a { color: var(--accent); font-size: 10px; padding: 0 1px; text-decoration: none; }
+  .answer-sources { margin-top: 12px; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 6px; }
+  .answer-sources a { font-size: 11px; color: var(--muted); border: 1px solid var(--border); padding: 2px 7px; }
+  .answer-sources a:hover { border-color: var(--accent); color: var(--accent); }
   .results-form { display: flex; gap: 8px; flex: 1; }
   .results-input {
     flex: 1; background: var(--surface); border: 1px solid var(--border);
@@ -182,6 +192,36 @@ function resultsPage(q: string, data: any, page: number) {
         ~${total.toLocaleString()} results
         ${peers.length ? `<span class="peers">// ${peers.length} peer${peers.length !== 1 ? 's' : ''} federated</span>` : ''}
       </div>
+      <div class="answer-card hidden" id="answer">
+        <div class="answer-label">✦ AI answer</div>
+        <div class="answer-body" id="answer-body"></div>
+        <div class="answer-sources" id="answer-sources"></div>
+      </div>
+      <script>
+        (function () {
+          var q = ${JSON.stringify(q)};
+          var card = document.getElementById('answer'),
+              body = document.getElementById('answer-body'),
+              srcEl = document.getElementById('answer-sources');
+          function esc(t){ return String(t).replace(/&/g,'&amp;').replace(/</g,'&lt;').replace(/>/g,'&gt;'); }
+          fetch('/api/answer?q=' + encodeURIComponent(q))
+            .then(function (r) { return r.json(); })
+            .then(function (d) {
+              if (!d || !d.answer) return;
+              var srcs = d.sources || [];
+              var html = esc(d.answer).replace(/\\[(\\d+)\\]/g, function (m, n) {
+                var s = srcs[parseInt(n) - 1];
+                return s ? '<sup><a href="' + esc(s.url) + '" rel="noopener" title="' + esc(s.domain) + '">[' + n + ']</a></sup>' : '';
+              });
+              body.innerHTML = html;
+              srcEl.innerHTML = srcs.map(function (s) {
+                return '<a href="' + esc(s.url) + '" rel="noopener">' + esc(s.domain) + '</a>';
+              }).join('');
+              card.classList.remove('hidden');
+            })
+            .catch(function () {});
+        })();
+      </script>
       ${results}
       ${hits.length ? `<div class="pagination">${prevLink}${nextLink}</div>` : ''}
       <div class="footer">