Connect an AI provider

Answer Desk does not write the answers itself: an AI provider does, using your account with them. You connect it by choosing the provider on Answer Desk > AI provider and pasting its API key in the API keys card.

What is an API key?

An API key is a long secret code, a bit like a password, that the AI company gives you. When your website sends a question to the AI, it shows this code so the company knows the request comes from your account and bills you for it.

• You pay the provider directly, usually a small amount per question. Most providers ask you to add a payment card or prepaid credit to your account before the key works.
• Keep it secret. Anyone who has your key can use your account and spend your credit. Do not send it by email or paste it in public places.
• Copy it straight away. Many providers show the full key only once, when you create it. If you lose it, create a new one.
• In Answer Desk the key is stored in your site's database and shown back as dots. It is only sent to that provider.

Which provider to choose

Provider	Servers	Can also build the index?	Where to get the key
ChatGPT (OpenAI)	United States, with EU data residency available on request	Yes, same key	platform.openai.com/api-keys
Claude (Anthropic)	United States or global infrastructure (no EU-only option)	Not needed: Claude reads your documents itself (Voyage AI optional)	console.anthropic.com/settings/keys
Gemini (Google)	United States and global Google infrastructure	Yes, same key	aistudio.google.com/app/apikey
Mistral (Mistral AI)	European Union, France	Yes, same key	console.mistral.ai/api-keys
OpenRouter	Depends on the model you pick	No, needs a second provider	openrouter.ai/keys

If you have no reason to prefer one, start with ChatGPT: one key covers everything and its index is the cheapest. Choose Mistral if your data must be processed in the EU. Gemini has a free tier that lets you try the whole thing before paying; for a live chat with visitors in the EU, Switzerland or the UK, Google requires the paid tier.

Get the key

1. Open the provider's key page from the table above (the same link is shown under each box in the API keys card).
2. Create an account, or log in.
3. Add billing or credit if the provider asks for it.
4. Click the button to create a new key and copy it.

Set it up in WordPress

1. Go to Answer Desk > AI provider.
2. In the Who answers card, click the provider you chose.
3. Leave Model on The recommended one unless you have a reason to change it.
4. Click Save changes in that card. You see Provider saved.
5. In the API keys card, paste the key in the row of the same provider.
6. Click Save changes in the API keys card. You see Keys saved. and a green Saved label next to that provider. The box now says A key is saved. Type a new one to replace it.

Using Claude or OpenRouter

Claude needs no second key. Claude cannot build a search index, and in Answer Desk it does not need one: when no index provider is set, Claude reads your documents whole if they are short, and picks the words to search for itself if they are long. See Claude without an index.

OpenRouter cannot build the index either, and without one it can only match words. For OpenRouter, and for Claude if you have a very large archive, add an index provider. The Who builds the index card on the same screen tells you when this applies.

1. Get a key from Voyage AI at dashboard.voyageai.com/api-keys (the option Anthropic recommends), or use a ChatGPT, Gemini or Mistral key.
2. Paste it in the matching row of the API keys card and click Save changes.
3. In Who builds the index, set Index provider to that provider and click Save changes.

More on this in Build the index.

A model that is not in the list

If your provider releases a new model, type its exact name in Or a model name of your own and save. It is used instead of the list. Leave this empty if you are not sure.