We've made some big improvements to how you set up your pipeline connectors, especially when it comes to managing sensitive information like API keys.

Now, you can create secrets, which are encrypted bits of sensitive data. These secrets are reusable and secure. You can use these secrets in your pipelines, but only if you specifically reference them in the connector setup.

When you head to the Settings > Secrets tab, you'll see a complete list of all your secrets. Once you've set them up, you can easily use them in your pipeline connectors.

Let's walk through setting up the OpenAI connector as an example:

To start, go to Settings > Secrets, and click on Create Secret. Enter your OpenAI API key with the ID openai-api-key.

Now, drag and drop the OpenAI connector onto the canvas. Then, access the OpenAI Connection section by clicking on More. Input ${ and select your OpenAI secret from the dropdown ${secrets.openai-api-key}.

With the OpenAI connector configured and your own API key in place, you're all set to build your pipeline. Any costs incurred will go directly to the service provider.

What's Next 🔜

In addition to the above Bring Your Own API Key (BYOK) feature, we're thrilled to introduce the upcoming Instill Credit for Instill Cloud! As a bonus, FREE Instill Credits will be available to all Instill Cloud users. Once it's ready, you won't need to register your own 3rd-party vendor account; these credits will grant access to AI models like OpenAI's GPT-4 without any additional setup required.

Stay tuned for more updates!