What is the OpenAI API?

Working with the OpenAI API

James Chapman

Curriculum Manager, DataCamp

Coming up...

Course goals

Use the OpenAI API to access AI models
Use those models to solve various tasks
Use Python code to do this!

Expected knowledge

Subsetting Python lists and dictionaries
Control flow → if, elif, else
Loops → for, while

Not expected to know

AI or machine learning

OpenAI, ChatGPT, and the OpenAI API

OpenAI = AI R&D company
ChatGPT = AI application
OpenAI API = Interface for accessing OpenAI models

¹ Image Credit: OpenAI

OpenAI, ChatGPT, and the OpenAI API

OpenAI = AI R&D company
ChatGPT = AI application
OpenAI API = Interface for accessing OpenAI models

A car showroom.

OpenAI, ChatGPT, and the OpenAI API

OpenAI = AI R&D company
ChatGPT = AI application
OpenAI API = Interface for accessing OpenAI models

A person interacting with an interface for ordering cars.

What is an API?

Application Programming Interface

A computer sending a request to an API.

What is an API?

Application Programming Interface

A waiter delivering orders and food between the kitchen and tables. This mimics how APIs operate between devices and systems.

What is an API?

Our device location is being sent to an API, which is then passed to a database. The API returns the response from the system, the weather forecast, back to our device.

The OpenAI API

A computer sending a request to the OpenAI API.

The OpenAI API

A computer sending a request to the OpenAI API, which contains the model and any data and model parameters.

API vs. web interface

Provides flexibility for integrating AI into products, experiences, and processes
Interact via programming language

A computer interacting with the OpenAI API.

Very little setup
Sufficient for streamlining individual's workflows

The ChatGPT web interface.

Building AI applications

DataLab = Cloud-based, AI-powered IDE

A screenshot of the generate code feature from DataLab.

¹ https://www.datacamp.com/datalab

Let's practice!

Working with the OpenAI API