# AI providers

> Connect your Claude or ChatGPT plan, an API key, or any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, and choose the models Blame uses.

Page: https://blame.so/docs/guides/ai-providers

Blame runs on your own credentials, and your provider bills you directly. It supports 50 AI providers, plus any OpenAI-compatible API. You can connect several, and use a different model for each story.

Connections live in **Settings → Models & Providers**, under **Provider connections**. Choose **Connect provider**, then pick a provider: the dialog groups them under **Use your subscription**, **API keys**, and **More providers**. The first-launch setup offers the same choice.

## Use your Claude plan

Blame uses your Claude Pro or Max plan through Claude Code, running on your computer, and keeps its own tools and checks.

<Steps>
<Step>

### Install Claude Code

On macOS and Linux:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
```

On Windows (PowerShell):

```powershell
irm https://claude.ai/install.ps1 | iex
```

</Step>
<Step>

### Sign in with your Claude account

```bash
claude auth login
```

If Claude Code is signed in with an API key instead, usage is billed to that key: sign in again to use your subscription.

</Step>
<Step>

### Connect to Blame

In **Connect Claude Code**, choose **Connect Claude Code**. Usage counts against your Claude plan limits.

</Step>
</Steps>

<Callout type="warn" title="Windows">
  On Windows, stories that run in the Blame runtime can't use Claude Code yet. Chat can.
</Callout>

## Use your ChatGPT plan

{/* TODO(Raphael): the README says the ChatGPT plan works "through Codex". In the code (packages/agent-runtime/src/provider-catalog.ts), the Codex CLI provider is not wired yet, and the subscription goes through the "OpenAI ChatGPT Subscription" OAuth provider. This section follows the code; align the README, or this page once Codex is wired. */}

Under **Use your subscription**, choose **OpenAI ChatGPT Subscription**. Give the connection a name, then choose **Continue with OAuth** and sign in with your ChatGPT account.

## Use an API key

Pick the provider under **API keys** or **More providers**, give the connection a name (for example "Work"), and paste the key. A provider can have several connections: use **Add connection** for another key.

Provider keys are encrypted. Without an account, the key that encrypts them is held by your system keychain.

## Use an OpenAI-compatible endpoint

Choose **OpenAI Compatible**, then enter the endpoint's **Base URL** (for example `https://provider.example/v1`) and at least one **Model ID**.

## Choose the models

**Settings → Models & Providers → Default models** sets two models:

- **Agent model**: development sessions, backlog execution, and chat.
- **Alternative model**: project setup, security audits, and prompt optimization. Blame also uses it to approve and merge a story.

To change the model of one story, use the model picker in the story's comment box: it picks the model and reasoning of that story's next turn, without changing the default for new stories.