First Steps

Deutsch: Erste Schritte

This page takes you from a fresh installation to your first answer from an AI model. Haven't installed AI Studio yet? Start with Installing AI Studio.

1. Get access to an AI model

AI Studio doesn't come with an AI model of its own. You connect it to a provider that runs the models, much like you connect an e-mail program to your mail account. You have three choices:

• A cloud provider, such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or Mistral. You create an account with the provider, add a small budget, and create an API key there: a long secret text that lets AI Studio use your account. The provider charges you for what you use.
• The AI service of a research institution, such as Helmholtz Blablador or GWDG SAIA, if your institution gives you access.
• A model on your own computer or server, for example, with ollama or LM Studio. Your texts then stay on your computer, but you need a fast computer, ideally with a strong graphics card.

Treat an API key like a password: whoever has it can use the provider at your expense. Keep it in a password manager and don't share it.

Does your organization manage AI Studio for you? Then your IT department may already have set up providers, and you can go straight to step 3.

2. Add the provider

1. Open "Settings" in the navigation bar on the left, and expand "Configure LLM Providers".
2. Click "Add Provider".
3. Under "Provider", choose your provider. Don't have an account yet? "Create account" opens the sign-up page of the provider.
4. Paste your key into "API Key".
5. Click "Load models", and choose a "Model". Where AI Studio can't list the models of a provider, type the name of the model instead.
6. Enter an "Instance Name", a name of your choice for this combination of provider and model, such as "Work" or "Fast model".
7. Click "Add".

A model on your own computer: In step 3, choose "Self-hosted". Then choose the program that runs your model under "Host", such as ollama, and enter its address under "Hostname", for example, http://localhost:11434 for ollama. Most local programs don't need an API key.

AI Studio keeps your API keys in the credential store of your operating system, not in its own files. Depending on your system, it may ask for your password when it stores or reads a key.

You can add as many providers as you like, for example, a fast model for everyday questions and a more powerful one for difficult tasks.

3. Start your first chat

1. Open "Chat".
2. Choose your provider under "Provider", unless AI Studio has already selected it.
3. Type your question into the input field, and press Enter. To start a new line instead, press Shift+Enter.

The answer appears while the model writes it. To stop it early, click "Stop generation".

4. Try an assistant

Assistants handle common tasks without you writing a prompt; see Assistants. Open "Assistants", and choose "Translation", for example:

1. Paste a text into "Your input".
2. Choose the "Target language".
3. Choose a provider, and click "Translate".

5. Adjust AI Studio to your liking

In "Settings" → "App Options", you find, among others:

• "Language behavior" and "Language": by default, AI Studio uses the language of your operating system. You can choose a language yourself.
• "Color theme": light, dark, or following your operating system.
• "Check for updates": how often AI Studio looks for a new version.

In "Settings" → "Provider Confidence", you can let AI Studio show how far you trust each provider, and you can require a minimum level for sensitive work.

Where to go next

• What AI Studio Offers: an overview of the chat, the assistants, and everything else.
• Providers and Models: all about setting up providers.
• Provider Confidence: how far you trust each provider.
• Using the Chat: everything about the chat.