---
title: "AI Router: Quick Start"
sidebar_label: "Quick Start"
sidebar_position: 2
description: "How to get started with AI Router: create an AI Router, top up your balance, set an API key limit, and verify performance"
---

import Formbricks from '@theme/MDXComponents/Formbricks';
import MoreVerticalIcon from '@selectel/docux/icons/more-vertical'
import CheckIcon from '@selectel/docux/icons/check'

# AI Router: Quick Start

1. [Top up your balance](#top-up-balance).
2. [Create an AI router](#create-ai-router).
3. Optional: [set an API key limit](#set-api-key-limit).
4. [Check AI Router operation](#check-ai-router-operation).

## 1. Top up your balance \{#top-up-balance}

Use the [Top up balance](/balance-and-payments/manage/top-up-balance.mdx) instructions.

## 2. Create an AI router \{#create-ai-router}

1. In the [control panel](https://my.selectel.ru/ml/default/ai-router), on the top menu, click **Products** and select **AI router**.
2. In the **AI router** section, click **Create AI router**.
3. Enter the AI router name.
4. Optional: enter a description.
5. Enter the key name.
6. Click **Create**. The API key can only be viewed once after creation — copy and save it.

## 3. Optional: set a limit for the API key \{#set-api-key-limit}

1. In the [Control panel](https://my.selectel.ru/ml/default/ai-router), on the top menu, click **Products** and select **AI Router**.
2. In the **AI Router** section, open the AI Router page → **Keys and Limits** tab.
3. In the  key menu, select **Change limit**.<MoreVerticalIcon />
4. Enter the new limit value in rubles.
5. Click .<CheckIcon />

## 4. Verify AI Router operation \{#check-ai-router-operation}

1. Open the terminal.
2. Send a test request:

   ```shell
   export API_KEY="<api_key>"
   curl -X POST --http2 \
   'https://api.selectel.ru/aig/v1/chat/completions' \
   --header "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" \
   --data '{
       "model": "moonshotai/kimi-k2.6",
       "stream": false,
       "reasoning": {
       "effort": "low"
       },
       "messages": [
       {
           "role": "user",
           "content": "Tell me about Selectel"
       }
       ]
   }'
   ```

   Specify `<api_key>` — the API key you saved when [creating the AI Router in step 1](#create-ai-router).

<Formbricks />