> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://archie.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Providers and default models

> Enable the AI providers your apps can use, then choose the default chat and embedding models. Archie manages the provider keys and bills AI credits.

Open **Backend → Core Services → Archie AI** and make sure Archie AI is [active](https://archie.com/docs/backend/app-services/archie-ai.md).

## Providers

The **Providers** tab lists the providers your apps can use: **Anthropic**, **OpenAI**, and **Google**. Each provider has an on/off switch and shows **Disabled** until you turn it on. Archie manages the keys and bills AI credits.

![The Providers tab listing Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google, each with a switch set to Disabled.](https://mintcdn.com/archie-e998dbf6/FcInvfd50seksJIy/images/24-archie-ai-providers.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=FcInvfd50seksJIy\&q=85\&s=6a158b2525e6e83098f2ef6d3c4ef820)

When you enable a provider that uses Archie's key, the card reads "Ready to use · no setup needed" and shows a **Use your own key** button marked **Enterprise**.

### Use your own key

On an Enterprise plan, you can bring your own provider key:

1. Enable the provider and click **Use your own key**.
2. Enter the key in the **API key** field and click **Save key**.

Archie sends the key once and never shows it again. Afterwards, the card shows only the last characters as **Stored key**. With your own key, requests are billed by the provider. Click **Replace key** to change it, or **Use Archie's key** to switch back.

> [!WARNING]
>
> Treat provider keys as secrets. Never paste a key into a chat, a screenshot, or a shared document.

## Default models

The **Default models** tab sets the models your apps get when a request doesn't name one. Only active models from enabled providers can be chosen.

![The Default models tab with Chat and Embeddings selectors, both set to No default.](https://mintcdn.com/archie-e998dbf6/FcInvfd50seksJIy/images/25-archie-ai-default-models.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=FcInvfd50seksJIy\&q=85\&s=2930e884224365b8080266e6d3707b94)

* **Chat** sets the default chat model. Until you enable a provider, the tab shows "Enable a provider to choose a chat model."
* **Embeddings** sets the default model for generating embeddings.

Both selectors start at **No default**. Each option can show metadata such as its context size or its number of dimensions.

If a default model later becomes unavailable, the tab warns you. It reports that the model is deprecated, that its provider is disabled, or that it's no longer in the catalog, and it suggests a replacement when one exists.

## FAQ

> **Why is the Chat selector empty?**
>
> You need at least one enabled provider before you can choose a chat model.

> **Does my choice here affect requests that name a model?**
>
> No. Defaults apply only when an app doesn't name a model.


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