What are the guidelines for allowing users to provide their own OpenAI API keys?

Below is an overview of considerations and best practices based on OpenAI’s guidance around API keys. Note that while the documentation focuses on how you should manage and secure API keys, it doesn’t explicitly prohibit scenarios where end users supply their own keys. However, there are some key points to keep in mind:

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1. Security Best Practices

• Keep the Keys Secret:
  OpenAI stresses that API keys must be treated as secrets. Whether you’re using your own key or storing user-supplied keys, they should be secured properly. In production, keys should never be hard-coded in your codebase or exposed in client-side applications.

• Secure Storage:
  When storing user-supplied keys in a database, ensure you use robust security measures. This might involve encryption at rest, restrictive access controls, and regular security audits.

• Routing Through a Backend:
  To prevent exposure, any call to the API using a user’s key should be routed through your own backend. This way, the key is handled only on the server side (e.g., loaded from environment variables or a secure vault) rather than being exposed in a public client.

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2. Commercialization & Policy Considerations

• User-Supplied API Keys:
  OpenAI’s public documentation and best practices do not explicitly impose restrictions on having users supply their own API keys. There is no inherent policy violation in letting users bring their own key—as long as the key is used according to the terms of service and guidelines provided.

• Compliance with Terms:
  When designing your service, review OpenAI’s terms of service and any related policies to ensure that your application complies with usage and billing practices. While commercialization via a user-supplied key model isn’t expressly disallowed, you must make sure that your implementation does not, for instance, inadvertently expose keys or violate usage limits.

• Handling Billing and Quotas:
  Since each user's key will be billed directly to them, you need to consider how you might handle usage limits, error handling, and feedback if a key exceeds quotas or runs into issues. Ensuring a smooth experience for your users will be important as they’re ultimately responsible for their API usage.

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3. Additional Resources

• OpenAI API Key Best Practices:
  For more detailed guidance on how to handle API keys securely, see the documentation on best practices (for example, API key safety guidelines). This resource outlines how to store keys securely and avoid common pitfalls.

• Backend Security Practices:
  Implementing secure backend practices (like environment variable management and secret management services) is crucial when handling user-supplied keys.

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Final Thoughts

While there isn’t an explicit prohibition against letting users bring their own API keys, your implementation should focus on:

• Securing the keys rigorously.
• Routing requests through a secure backend.
• Ensuring all usage complies with OpenAI’s terms.

If your application scales significantly or if there are unique commercialization challenges, it might also be worthwhile to reach out to OpenAI directly to discuss your specific use case.