---
title: "AI Router product description"
sidebar_label: "Description"
sidebar_position: 1
description: "How AI Router works"
---

import Formbricks from '@theme/MDXComponents/Formbricks';

# AI Router product description

AI Router is a service for unified access to generative AI models from external providers without the need to deploy infrastructure. It allows you to work with [available models](#available-models) through a single interface, centrally manage access keys and quotas, and receive consolidated reporting and analytics on their usage.

The terms of use for the AI Router product are defined by the [Terms of Use for Individual Services: “AI Router”](https://files.selectel.ru/docs/ru/conditions-ai-router.pdf) document and the SLA.

## Use cases \{#tasks-to-be-solved}

* connecting OpenAI, Anthropic, and other models using a single API key;
* use a single code base for every OpenAI-compatible provider;
* pay for models from a single balance instead of separate bills for each provider;
* configuring budget limits;
* monitor consumption via detailed, real-time analytics.

## How it works \{#principle-of-operation}

AI Router acts as a universal gateway between your application and external model providers. The service sends requests via an OpenAI-compatible API to the connected [models](#available-models), for more information, see the [official OpenAI Developers documentation](https://developers.openai.com/api/reference/overview). You do not need to configure integrations with each provider separately — it is sufficient to use the AI Router API key in requests.

## How to use AI Router \{#manage-ai-router}

To access the service, complete [registration](/account/registration.mdx) and [top up your balance](/balance-and-payments/manage/top-up-balance.mdx) with a minimum amount of 200 ₽.

To get started, create an AI Router; for more information, see the instructions in [AI Router: Quick start](/ai-router/quickstart.mdx).

After creating an AI Router, you can:

* manage the AI Router in the [Control Panel](https://my.selectel.ru/ml/default/ai-router):

  * [manage API keys](/ai-router/manage/manage-api-keys.mdx);
  * [view consumption](/ai-router/manage/get-consumption.mdx) and [metrics](/ai-router/manage/view-metrics.mdx) of the AI Router;
* configure [request masking](/ai-router/manage/data-masking.mdx) to hide sensitive data;
* use AI Router to work with [available models](#available-models) via API.

## Available models \{#available-models}

You can view the current list of models and pricing on [selectel.ru](https://selectel.ru/prices/), as well as after creating an AI router in the [control panel](https://my.selectel.ru/ml/default/ai-router): in the top menu, click **Products** → **AI Router** → AI router page → **Models**.

## Areas of responsibility \{#areas-of-responsibility}

### Selectel provides \{#selectel-provides}

* access to models via a public API compatible with the OpenAI API;
* an AI router monitoring system in the control panel;
* usage analytics;
* the ability to manage limits for each AI router and API key;
* technical support.

### Selectel is not responsible for \{#selectel-is-not-responsible}

* the performance of requests made with API keys and request results;
* the processing of personal data within the service;
* integrating models into your projects;
* the business logic of models in your projects.

Protecting API keys from compromise is your responsibility.

## Pricing \{#price}

AI Router is billed according to the [pay-as-you-go](/balance-and-payments/payment-models.mdx#pay-as-you-go) model. Funds are deducted from the balance every hour for model consumption over the previous hour; for more details, see the instruction [AI Router payment model and pricing](/ai-router/about/payment.mdx).

### What is included in the cost \{#what-included-in-price}

Unlimited number of tokens for using [available models](#available-models).

## Limitations \{#limitations}

AI Router does not support:

* the ability to train AI models;
* uploading custom models to the catalog;
* deploying models from the catalog on-premises, in A-DC, on dedicated servers, and in the certified cloud.

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