API Key

An API Key is a string of characters that proves "it's me" when you use an API. You get one issued by an AI company and put it into your program, and every call you make is identified — and billed — through that key.

It's like a house key: if it leaks, someone else can use AI under your name and at your expense. "Accidentally posting an API key on GitHub and getting hit with a huge bill" is a classic cautionary tale in the developer community. If you're a regular user, the main thing to know is that when a third-party app asks you to "enter your API key," that key is effectively a payment method — so handle it carefully.

1. If you signed up for a playground or console following the hands-on steps in the API entry, look for an "API Keys" menu in the settings.
2. Try issuing a key — you'll get a string like "sk-" along with a warning that it "won't be shown again, so store it somewhere safe." That sense of tension is the essence of an API key: this string = your wallet.
3. Once you're done experimenting, try revoking that key right away. It's good practice for the standard response to a leak.