AI Keys

An AI Key is your digital credential for invoking Aitok compute models (keys start with sk-...).

Aitok keys follow OpenAI standard formatting conventions, making them drop-in compatible with almost all mainstream chat applications, IDE extensions, and autonomous agents.

Creating Your First AI Key

  1. Log in to the Aitok Console and click AI Keys (/hub/ai-key) in the sidebar.
  2. Click Create Key in the top-right corner.
  3. Configure your key settings:
    • Key Name: Enter an identifiable label (e.g., Cursor Workstation, Chatbox Mac).
    • Spending Cap (Runaway Protection): Set a spending limit (e.g., $5.00 or ¥30.00). When cumulative consumption on this key hits the limit, subsequent requests are automatically rejected, keeping the rest of your account balance completely safe.
  4. Click Create.
  5. Copy and Store: The full key will be displayed once. For security reasons, the full plaintext cannot be retrieved again. Copy it immediately to your password manager or paste it straight into your target tool.

Best Practice: One Key Per App

We strongly recommend generating a separate, dedicated AI Key for each independent tool or Agent, rather than sharing one key across everything:

  1. Protect Against Agent Loops: Autonomous coding agents or complex workflows can occasionally enter infinite loops or retry storms. A dedicated key with a spending cap guarantees potential costs remain strictly capped.
  2. Clear Usage Attribution: Filter your usage logs by key name in the analytics dashboard to know exactly which application drove your token usage.
  3. Instant Isolation: If a device is lost or you suspect a key was exposed, deactivate or delete that specific key in one click without disrupting any other active tools or environments.

Managing Existing Keys

On the /hub/ai-key page, you can manage your keys at any time:

  • Toggle Status: Temporarily disable a key without deleting it. Re-enable it whenever you are ready.
  • Update Spending Limit: Increase or decrease the quota cap as project demands change.
  • Delete Key: Permanently revoke the key. Any requests utilizing this key will be instantly blocked.

Security Guidelines

  • Never Commit to Git: Never push files containing sk-... strings to public code repositories (GitHub, GitLab, etc.).
  • Protect Screen Shares: Hide API key fields during live screen recordings, streams, or presentations.
  • Audit Periodically: Review your active keys regularly and delete any legacy or unused credentials.