Team API key management
Team API key management for AI applications
Team API key management keeps AI access scoped by app, teammate, customer, or environment. The goal is simple: every key should have only the access and budget it needs.
Use separate keys for separate jobs
Avoid sharing one unrestricted key across a whole team. Create separate keys for production, staging, internal tools, customer-facing agents, and experiments so usage can be traced and limited.
Apply least privilege
A controlled key should include model allowlists, daily and monthly budgets, IP restrictions when possible, and max output limits. These controls reduce the blast radius when a key leaks or a workflow loops.
- Use model allowlists for expensive models
- Set daily and monthly budgets per key
- Rotate keys when teammates or deployment environments change
Audit by key
Request-level logs make team usage easier to review because each request can be tied back to a key, model, token meter, status, and billed amount.
FAQ
Should each teammate get a separate AI API key?
For operational teams, yes. Separate keys make usage review, revocation, and budget control much easier.
What is the safest default for a new key?
Start with a small budget, a narrow model allowlist, and a reasonable max output cap. Raise limits only when the use case is clear.