How to use OpenAI in BoltAI

Add your OpenAI API key to chat with OpenAI's models in BoltAI. You also get OpenAI's own tools for web search, images and code, and you can make images in Image Studio.

Before you start

• An OpenAI API account with credits.
• An API key. Create one at OpenAI API keys.

A ChatGPT plan doesn't include API usage. To use your ChatGPT plan instead, see How to use your ChatGPT plan in BoltAI (Codex CLI).

Set up OpenAI in BoltAI

1. Open Settings › AI Providers, click + and choose OpenAI.
2. Paste your key into API Key. Leave Base URL empty.
3. Click Next.
4. Keep all models, or untick the ones you don't want. To choose this provider's default model, hover over it and click Set as Default.
5. Click Add Service.

Start a chat with OpenAI models

Click the model name in the message box, press ⇧ ⌘ M, or type /model. Pick a model under OpenAI.

To start every new chat with it, right-click the model and choose Set Provider & Model as Default. See Choose and switch models.

Use OpenAI's built-in tools

In the chat's Tools menu (⇧ ⌘ T), turn on what you need under Provider Tools:

• Web Search, for anything recent.
• Image Generation, to make images in the chat.
• Code Interpreter, to run Python and analyze data.

See Tools in a chat.

Make images in Image Studio

Your OpenAI key also works in Image Studio. Press ⌃ ⌘ N, or choose File › New Image. See Image Studio.

If it doesn't connect

• BoltAI couldn't verify this OpenAI setup: copy the key again in full. If you just created it, wait a few minutes and try again.
• Setup works, but replies fail: the account may be out of credits. Check your billing in your OpenAI account.
• A model is missing: on the provider's page, click Refresh Model List.
• On the provider's page, open the ⋯ menu and choose Test Connection.