How can I fix the 'Cannot import name OpenAI from openai' error in Python?

Explanation

The error:

PYTHONCopied
ImportError: cannot import name ‘OpenAI’ from ‘openai’

occurs because the class OpenAI is not present in the version of the SDK you’re using (openai v1.3.6). The migration documentation and examples referencing from openai import OpenAI assume you’re running a newer version of the SDK that includes this class (to help manage beta API version headers, for instance).

Solution

1. Upgrade the SDK:
   The functionality you’re trying to use is available in more recent versions of the OpenAI Python package. Upgrade using pip:

   BASHCopied
   pip install --upgrade openai

   This should install a version that includes the new OpenAI class.

2. Version Compatibility:

   • If you need to access the older v1 API while using the newer SDK release, you can override the API version header:

     PYTHONCopied
     from openai import OpenAI
     
     client = OpenAI(default_headers={"OpenAI-Beta": "assistants=v1"})

   • Alternatively, if your application depends on the older SDK behavior, you might need to install a specific older version as documented (for instance, for Python, version 1.20.0 or earlier).

Why Nothing Appears Online

Many threads you’ve found likely refer to older versions of the package or different migration stages. The API migration and SDK release cycle introduce new objects (like OpenAI) only in newer versions. Hence, if you haven’t upgraded beyond v1.3.6, you won’t see documentation or community posts addressing your error directly.

Next Steps

• Upgrade your OpenAI package to a version that includes the new features.
• Verify which API version you want to target (v1 or v2 beta) and adjust the header or package version accordingly.
• Consult the official migration documentation to ensure that all changes are correctly implemented for your use case.

This should resolve the ImportError issue you’re encountering.