AI providers and API keys
What is an AI provider?
An AI provider is a company or a service that gives you the ability to send requests to and receive responses from an LLM. In order to get the response, you also need to send an API key to authenticate and manage billing.
Here is the list of AI providers we currently support: OpenAI, Mistral AI, Hugging Face. Others include Google Vertex AI, Microsoft Azure OpenAI, Anthropic, etc. You can find more information on this topic on the langchain4j documentation website. This is the framework that we use in JabRef. This page lists available integrations.
What is an API key?
An API key or API token is like a password that lets an app or program access information or services from another app or website, such as an LLM service. It ensures that only authorized users or applications can use the service. For example, when an app uses an LLM service to generate text or answer questions, it includes its unique API key in the request. The LLM service checks this key to make sure the request is legitimate before providing the response. This process keeps the data secure and helps track how the service is being used.
Which AI provider should I use?
For now, we recommend you choosing OpenAI.
For Mistral AI, you might need to make a subscription, whereas for OpenAI, a one-time payment option is available
Hugging Face gives you access to numerous count of models for free. However, it may take a long time for Hugging Face to allocate free computing resources, resulting in longer response times
In order to use any service, you always need an API key. Please head to the AI user documentation to learn about how to receive a key and where to enter it in the preferences.
How to get an API key?
How to get an OpenAI API key?
To get an OpenAI API key, follow these steps:
Log in or create an account on the OpenAI website
Go to the "API" section
Go to the "Dashboard" (upper-right corner)
Go to the "API keys" (left menu)
Click "Create new secret key"
Click "Create secret key"
OpenAI will display the key
How to get a Mistral AI API key?
Login or create an account on the Mistral AI website
Go to the dashboard -> API keys
There you will find a button "Create new key". Click on it
You can optionally set up a name for the API key and its expiration date
After the creation, you will see "Your key is:" with a string of random characters after that
How to get a Hugging Face API key?
Hugging Face refers to an "API key" as an "Access Token". It does not make much difference, you can interchangeably use either "API key", or "API token", or "access token".
Login or create account on Hugging Face
Go to create access token
Set "Token Type" to "Read"
Name a token
After you click "Create token", a popup will be shown with the API key
What should I do with the API key and how can I enter it in JabRef?
Do not share the key with anyone, it is a secret that was created only for your account. Do not enter this key into unknown or unverified services.
Now you need to copy and paste it into JabRef preferences. To do this:
Launch JabRef
Go "File" -> "Preferences" -> "AI" (a new tab!)
Check "Enable chatting with PDFs"
Paste the key into "OpenAI token"
Click "Save"
If you have some money on your credit balance, you can chat with your library!
How to increase money balance for API key?
OpenAI
To increase your credit balance on OpenAI, follow these steps:
Mistral AI
Make the subscription on their website.
Hugging Face
You do not have to pay anything for Hugging Face in order to send requests to LLMs. Though, the speed is very slow by default. You can switch to faster inference by upgrading your user account or by running a space on GPU.
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