AI providers and API keys
The plugin is bring-your-own-key. You pay your AI provider directly, and the plugin author never sees your key, your content or your billing.
Supported providers
| Provider | Models | Endpoints used |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | GPT models | api.openai.com/v1/models, /v1/responses |
| Anthropic | Claude models | api.anthropic.com/v1/models, /v1/messages |
| Gemini models | generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/models |
|
| xAI | Grok models | api.x.ai/v1/models, /v1/chat/completions |
The model list comes from your provider account, so you only see models your key can use. Whether a model is available still depends on that account.
Option A: save the key in Settings
- Open AI Blog Writer → Settings.
- Choose the provider and click Save Changes.
- Paste the key into New … API key and save.
Saved keys are encrypted with Sodium. The encryption key is AIBCG_ENCRYPTION_KEY if you define it, otherwise WordPress’s AUTH_KEY. Define a stable AIBCG_ENCRYPTION_KEY in wp-config.php so that rotating AUTH_KEY does not make saved keys unreadable.
define( 'AIBCG_ENCRYPTION_KEY', 'a-long-random-string-that-never-changes' );Option B: define the key in wp-config.php
This keeps the key out of the database entirely:
define( 'AIBCG_OPENAI_API_KEY', 'your-key' );
define( 'AIBCG_ANTHROPIC_API_KEY', 'your-key' );
define( 'AIBCG_GOOGLE_API_KEY', 'your-key' );
define( 'AIBCG_XAI_API_KEY', 'your-key' );Keys defined this way appear in Settings as “Defined by … in wp-config.php” and cannot be edited there.
How keys are protected
- Keys are used only in server-side requests.
- They are never sent to the browser and never returned by the REST API.
- They are never sent to the plugin author.
- The Diagnostics report leaves out keys, prompts, article text and source notes.
Test the connection
Click Test connection after saving. This sends only the key and a request for the model list, with no content. The same check runs once when an administrator submits a new brief.
Common errors
provider_http_401: the provider rejected the key. Create a new key and save it again.provider_http_429: you hit a rate limit or ran out of quota. Check billing with your provider.provider_unreachable: your server cannot reach the provider over HTTPS. Ask your host whether outbound requests are blocked.- “Selected model is unavailable”: choose another model and test again.