diff --git a/packages/instantsearch.js/src/connectors/chat/connectChat.ts b/packages/instantsearch.js/src/connectors/chat/connectChat.ts
index 9d88d3cce5..0fda1fc297 100644
--- a/packages/instantsearch.js/src/connectors/chat/connectChat.ts
+++ b/packages/instantsearch.js/src/connectors/chat/connectChat.ts
@@ -159,6 +159,16 @@ export type ChatConnectorParams<TUiMessage extends UIMessage = UIMessage> = (
    * @default 'chat'
    */
   type?: string;
+  /**
+   * A message to send automatically when the chat is initialized.
+   *
+   * This message is only sent when the chat has no existing messages yet. If
+   * messages were restored or otherwise already exist when the widget starts,
+   * this message is not sent.
+   *
+   * When `resume` is enabled, this message is not sent.
+   */
+  initialUserMessage?: string;
 };
 
 export type ChatWidgetDescription<TUiMessage extends UIMessage = UIMessage> = {
@@ -260,6 +270,7 @@ export default (function connectChat<TWidgetParams extends UnknownWidgetParams>(
       resume = false,
       tools = {},
       type = 'chat',
+      initialUserMessage,
       ...options
     } = widgetParams || {};
 
@@ -547,6 +558,14 @@ export default (function connectChat<TWidgetParams extends UnknownWidgetParams>(
           _chatInstance.resumeStream();
         }
 
+        if (
+          initialUserMessage &&
+          !resume &&
+          _chatInstance.messages.length === 0
+        ) {
+          _chatInstance.sendMessage({ text: initialUserMessage });
+        }
+
         renderFn(
           {
             ...this.getWidgetRenderState(initOptions),
diff --git a/tests/common/connectors/chat/options.ts b/tests/common/connectors/chat/options.ts
index f5a1fd9b53..5a95c70868 100644
--- a/tests/common/connectors/chat/options.ts
+++ b/tests/common/connectors/chat/options.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { createSearchClient } from '@instantsearch/mocks';
 import { wait } from '@instantsearch/testutils';
 import { screen } from '@testing-library/dom';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
+import { Chat } from 'instantsearch.js/src/lib/chat';
 
 import { skippableDescribe } from '../../common';
 
@@ -31,6 +32,68 @@ export function createOptionsTests(
             `);
     });
 
+    test('sends initialUserMessage on init', async () => {
+      const chat = new Chat({});
+      const sendMessageSpy = jest
+        .spyOn(chat, 'sendMessage')
+        .mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+      const options: SetupOptions<ChatConnectorSetup> = {
+        instantSearchOptions: {
+          indexName: 'indexName',
+          searchClient: createSearchClient(),
+        },
+        widgetParams: {
+          chat,
+          agentId: 'agentId',
+          initialUserMessage: 'Hello, AI!',
+        } as any,
+      };
+
+      await setup(options);
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        await wait(0);
+      });
+
+      expect(sendMessageSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'Hello, AI!' });
+    });
+
+    test('does not send initialUserMessage when messages already exist', async () => {
+      const chat = new Chat({
+        messages: [
+          {
+            id: '1',
+            role: 'user',
+            parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Previous message' }],
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+      const sendMessageSpy = jest
+        .spyOn(chat, 'sendMessage')
+        .mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+      const options: SetupOptions<ChatConnectorSetup> = {
+        instantSearchOptions: {
+          indexName: 'indexName',
+          searchClient: createSearchClient(),
+        },
+        widgetParams: {
+          chat,
+          agentId: 'agentId',
+          initialUserMessage: 'Hello, AI!',
+        } as any,
+      };
+
+      await setup(options);
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        await wait(0);
+      });
+
+      expect(sendMessageSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
     test('provides `input` state to persist text input', async () => {
       const options: SetupOptions<ChatConnectorSetup> = {
         instantSearchOptions: {
diff --git a/tests/common/widgets/chat/options.tsx b/tests/common/widgets/chat/options.tsx
index 7e36f6a9a9..57b08c0490 100644
--- a/tests/common/widgets/chat/options.tsx
+++ b/tests/common/widgets/chat/options.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,80 @@ export function createOptionsTests(
       expect(document.querySelector('.ais-ChatPrompt')).toBeInTheDocument();
     });
 
+    test('sends initialUserMessage on init', async () => {
+      const searchClient = createSearchClient();
+
+      const chat = new Chat({});
+      const sendMessageSpy = jest
+        .spyOn(chat, 'sendMessage')
+        .mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+      await setup({
+        instantSearchOptions: {
+          indexName: 'indexName',
+          searchClient,
+        },
+        widgetParams: {
+          javascript: {
+            ...createDefaultWidgetParams(chat),
+            initialUserMessage: 'Hello, AI!',
+          },
+          react: {
+            ...createDefaultWidgetParams(chat),
+            initialUserMessage: 'Hello, AI!',
+          },
+          vue: {},
+        },
+      });
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        await wait(0);
+      });
+
+      expect(sendMessageSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ text: 'Hello, AI!' });
+    });
+
+    test('does not send initialUserMessage when messages already exist', async () => {
+      const searchClient = createSearchClient();
+
+      const chat = new Chat({
+        messages: [
+          {
+            id: '1',
+            role: 'user',
+            parts: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Previous message' }],
+          },
+        ],
+      });
+      const sendMessageSpy = jest
+        .spyOn(chat, 'sendMessage')
+        .mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+      await setup({
+        instantSearchOptions: {
+          indexName: 'indexName',
+          searchClient,
+        },
+        widgetParams: {
+          javascript: {
+            ...createDefaultWidgetParams(chat),
+            initialUserMessage: 'Hello, AI!',
+          },
+          react: {
+            ...createDefaultWidgetParams(chat),
+            initialUserMessage: 'Hello, AI!',
+          },
+          vue: {},
+        },
+      });
+
+      await act(async () => {
+        await wait(0);
+      });
+
+      expect(sendMessageSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
     test('sends messages when prompt is submitted', async () => {
       const searchClient = createSearchClient();