Step 1: Get Your API Key from OpenAI
Open the OpenAI platform in a new tab and navigate to API keys at platform.openai.com/api-keys. Click Create new secret key, give it a name like “ClawStaff”, and optionally restrict it to specific permissions if your organization requires it. Copy the key immediately after creation, as OpenAI will not display it again.
Make sure your OpenAI account has billing set up and sufficient credits. ClawStaff passes API calls directly to OpenAI using your key, so usage is billed to your OpenAI account at their standard rates with no markup from ClawStaff.
Step 2: Navigate to AI Models in ClawStaff
Log in to your ClawStaff dashboard and click AI Models in the left sidebar. This page manages all AI provider connections for your organization. You will see cards for each supported provider including OpenAI, Anthropic, and others. The OpenAI card will show a “Not configured” status until you add your key.
Click the Configure button on the OpenAI card to open the setup form. If you have previously added a key and want to rotate it, click Update Key instead.
Step 3: Paste Your API Key
Paste your OpenAI API key into the key field and click Save. ClawStaff will validate the key by making a lightweight API call to OpenAI to check that the key is active, has sufficient permissions, and can access the models you need. This validation call does not consume any significant credits.
If the validation succeeds, you will see a green confirmation along with a list of models available on your OpenAI account. If validation fails, verify that the key was copied correctly, that your OpenAI account is in good standing, and that billing is active. Your key is encrypted at rest and only decrypted inside the isolated ClawCage environment when your Claw makes an API call.
Step 4: Select Your Default Model
After the key is validated, choose a default model for your Claws from the dropdown. Options include GPT-4o, GPT-4 Turbo, GPT-4, and GPT-3.5 Turbo, depending on what is available on your OpenAI account. The default model will be used for any Claw that does not have a model explicitly assigned in its individual configuration.
You can override this default on a per-Claw basis. Navigate to any Claw’s settings page and select a different OpenAI model if that Claw needs a specific model for cost or capability reasons. For example, you might use GPT-4o as the default for most Claws but assign GPT-3.5 Turbo to high-volume, lower-complexity tasks to manage costs. Click Save to finalize your configuration.