How can I cancel OpenAI API requests after a 10-second timeout in Spring Boot?

Below is an overview of a possible solution using Spring Boot:

1. Set a Timeout on Your Request:
   You can use an asynchronous executor (like the one in your example) or configure your HTTP client (e.g., using connection/read timeouts in RestTemplate or WebClient) to ensure that if OpenAI’s API hasn’t responded within 10 seconds your thread won’t block indefinitely.

2. Issue a Cancellation Request:
   OpenAI’s API provides cancellation endpoints (via a POST request to something like /v1/batches/:batch_id/cancel or /v1/threads/:thread_id/runs/:run_id/cancel) so that you can signal the API to cancel processing of a request that’s taking too long. After the timeout in your application, call the appropriate cancellation endpoint. For example, if you submitted a batch request, you would POST to cancel it.

3. Avoid Charges for Incomplete Work:
   By canceling the request quickly via the API cancellation endpoint, you limit further processing and help ensure that only the portion of the request that was actually processed is charged. (Keep in mind that if processing had already begun, OpenAI’s billing policies may still apply—but cancellation prevents further unnecessary processing.)

Below is an example that combines a local timeout with issuing a cancellation request:

JAVACopied
import org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate;
import java.util.concurrent.*;

public class OpenAIClient {
    private final RestTemplate restTemplate;
    private final ExecutorService executor = Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor();
    private final String openAICancelUrl; // e.g., "https://api.openai.com/v1/batches/batch_abc123/cancel"
    
    public OpenAIClient(RestTemplate restTemplate, String openAICancelUrl) {
        this.restTemplate = restTemplate;
        this.openAICancelUrl = openAICancelUrl;
    }

    public String getResponse(String url) throws Exception {
        Future<String> future = executor.submit(() -> restTemplate.getForObject(url, String.class));
        try {
            // Wait for the result with a 10-second timeout
            return future.get(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
        } catch (TimeoutException ex) {
            future.cancel(true); // cancel the local request

            // Call OpenAI's cancellation endpoint to stop processing on their side.
            // (Assumes the cancellation endpoint is already set up for your batch/run.)
            restTemplate.postForObject(openAICancelUrl, null, String.class);

            throw new Exception("Request timed out and was cancelled with OpenAI.");
        } finally {
            executor.shutdown();
        }
    }
}

Key Points:

• Timeout Handling:
  The future.get(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS) enforces the 10-second limit on your call.

• Local Cancellation:
  Calling future.cancel(true) helps clean up the thread that’s waiting for a response.

• External Cancellation:
  Making a POST request to OpenAI’s cancellation endpoint stops further processing on the server side. OpenAI’s documentation indicates that a cancelled request (which goes into a “cancelling” state before finally being marked cancelled) does not incur further charges for uncompleted processing.

• HTTP Client Configuration:
  In production, you might also consider configuring your HTTP client’s connect and read timeouts to complement this approach.

This combination of application-level timeouts and invoking the cancellation endpoint is a recommended strategy when you want to ensure that responses taking longer than 10 seconds are stopped and not further charged.