Making requests to the OpenAI API

Working with the OpenAI API

James Chapman

Curriculum Manager, DataCamp

API endpoints

A computer connecting to the OpenAI via one of several access points, which are in-turn connected to different servers.

API endpoints

A computer connecting to the OpenAI via one of several endpoints, which are in-turn connected to different servers.

API endpoints

Endpoints → API access point designed for specific interactions

A hospital corridor showing different doors to different departments.

API authentication

Authentication → Controls on access to API endpoint services (often unique key)

A hospital corridor showing different doors to different departments.

API usage costs

For OpenAI API:
- Model
- Larger inputs + outputs = Greater cost

No additional costs for this course 🎉

A toll road.

¹ https://openai.com/pricing

Creating an API key

Isn't required in this course

Create your account → https://platform.openai.com/signup
Go to the API keys page → https://platform.openai.com/account/api-keys
Create a new secret key and copy it

The button to create a new secret key.

Making a request

from openai import OpenAI


client = OpenAI(api_key="ENTER YOUR KEY HERE")


response = client.chat.completions.create(

    model="gpt-4o-mini",

    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "What is the OpenAI API?"}]

)


print(response)

The response

ChatCompletion(id='chatcmpl-AEcQbQekIzxcxVAKYVAjgUAXokgrl', choices=[Choice(finish_reason='length', index=0,
logprobs=None, message=ChatCompletionMessage(content='The OpenAI API is a cloud-based service provided by
OpenAI that allows developers to integrate advanced AI models into their applications.', refusal=None,
role='assistant', function_call=None, tool_calls=None))], created=1728047673, model='gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18',
object='chat.completion', service_tier=None, system_fingerprint='fp_f85bea6784',
usage=CompletionUsage(completion_tokens=30, prompt_tokens=14, total_tokens=44,
prompt_tokens_details={'cached_tokens': 0}, completion_tokens_details={'reasoning_tokens': 0}))

The response

ChatCompletion(id='chatcmpl-AEcQbQekIzxcxVAKYVAjgUAXokgrl',
               choices=[Choice(finish_reason='length', index=0, logprobs=None,
                               message=ChatCompletionMessage(content='The OpenAI API is a cloud-based service
                               provided by OpenAI that allows developers to integrate advanced AI models
                               into their applications.',
                               refusal=None, role='assistant', function_call=None, tool_calls=None))],
               created=1728047673,
               model='gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18',
               object='chat.completion', service_tier=None, system_fingerprint='fp_f85bea6784',
               usage=CompletionUsage(completion_tokens=25, prompt_tokens=14, total_tokens=39,
                                     prompt_tokens_details={'cached_tokens': 0},
                                     completion_tokens_details={'reasoning_tokens': 0}))

Interpreting the response

print(response.choices)

[Choice(finish_reason='length', index=0, logprobs=None,
 message=ChatCompletionMessage(content='The OpenAI API is a cloud-based service provided by
 OpenAI that allows developers to integrate advanced AI models into their applications.',
 refusal=None, role='assistant', function_call=None, tool_calls=None))]

Interpreting the response

print(response.choices[0])

Choice(finish_reason='length', index=0, logprobs=None,
 message=ChatCompletionMessage(content='The OpenAI API is a cloud-based service provided by
 OpenAI that allows developers to integrate advanced AI models into their applications.',
 refusal=None, role='assistant', function_call=None, tool_calls=None))

Interpreting the response

print(response.choices[0].message)

ChatCompletionMessage(content='The OpenAI API is a cloud-based service provided by
 OpenAI that allows developers to integrate advanced AI models into their applications.',
 refusal=None, role='assistant', function_call=None, tool_calls=None)

print(response.choices[0].message.content)

The OpenAI API is a cloud-based service provided by OpenAI that allows developers to
integrate advanced AI models into their applications.

Let's practice!

Working with the OpenAI API