Perlin on your own AI key

With a Pro account you can save your own Anthropic or OpenAI API key, and Perlin's thinking and writing runs on it. That work is then billed to you by Anthropic or OpenAI, not in Vybe Tokens. Everything else stays as it is, from your asset library to the timeline.

It suits people who already have an account with one of them, or who make a lot of pieces and would rather pay the provider directly.

Who can use it

Your own keys come with Pro. On the free plan, the AI keys page explains the feature with a See plans link, and each key card reads "Comes with Pro" (Token packs and Pro).

If your Pro plan ends, your keys stay saved but Perlin goes back to Vybe Tokens until the plan is back.

Adding a key

1. Open AI keys

   Go to AI keys: from your avatar menu, open My creations or Plan & usage, then the AI keys tab. There is a card for Anthropic and one for OpenAI.

2. Get a key from the provider

   Each card has a Get a key link to that provider's page for API keys. Create a key there and copy it.

3. Paste it and save

   Paste the key into the card's field and press Save. The button reads Checking while VYBE.ART asks the provider whether it accepts the key, a check that costs you nothing.

4. Check it's in use

   The card now shows the start of the key and its last four characters, when it was saved, and Use for Perlin switched on. The page's heading reads "Perlin runs on your key".

A key is checked for its shape before it's sent: Anthropic keys start with sk-ant- and OpenAI keys with sk-, with no spaces. If the provider refuses it, the card says so, for example "OpenAI didn't accept that key. Check you copied all of it, and that it hasn't been revoked." You can check up to ten keys an hour.

How your key is kept

Your key is encrypted as it's saved and never shown again, not even to you: the card only ever shows its hint. Each provider has one key per account. To change it, press Replace and save the new one; to take it away, press Remove.

Using one key or both

• With one key, every effort level runs on it.
• With both, each effort level runs where it usually does, on one key or the other.

The Use for Perlin switch on each card turns a key on or off without removing it. With every key off, Perlin goes back to Vybe Tokens. Switching a key off or removing it while a long build is running can stop that build: Perlin won't finish it on Vybe Tokens instead.

What still costs tokens

On your own key, requests don't set any Vybe Tokens aside to start, at any effort level, so an empty balance doesn't stop you. Some things still run on VYBE.ART's own accounts and are charged in tokens as before:

• Sound effects, textures and 3D models Perlin makes for a piece (Sound FX, Textures and 3D). 3D models still need their tokens set aside before they're made, so with too few they're skipped.
• Assets you make with Generate assets (Generating assets).
• On an OpenAI key, if OpenAI turns a request down partway, for a rate limit or because there's no credit left, Perlin finishes it on VYBE.ART's own access and charges Vybe Tokens for that part only.

In the studio

• The effort menu shows On your own AI key at the top, linking to your keys, and no level is greyed out for your balance (Effort levels).
• Each of Perlin's replies still shows any tokens it used, for the things above.
• On Plan & usage, requests that ran on your key are marked "your AI key".

When something goes wrong

If the provider refuses a request, Perlin's reply says why and what to do. For example:

• "Your Anthropic account is out of credits. Top it up with Anthropic, or switch your key off under Account → AI keys to use Vybe Tokens."
• "Anthropic turned down your API key. Check it under Account → AI keys." (or the same for OpenAI)
• "Your Anthropic key can't use the model behind this effort level. Try another level."
• "Your Anthropic account is rate limited right now. Try again in a moment."

If a card says "This key can't be read any more. Save it again to keep using it.", paste the key in again. Until you do, Perlin runs on Vybe Tokens. If the page says your own keys aren't available on VYBE.ART yet, the feature isn't switched on for the site, and Perlin runs on Vybe Tokens as usual.

Related

• Effort levels
• Token packs and Pro
• How Vybe Tokens work