Which cloud engines can the Assistant use?

The Assistant runs on this computer by default. It can instead run on Groq, OpenAI or Claude, using your own key from that provider. Add the key on the Cloud page, then pick Cloud: Groq, Cloud: OpenAI or Cloud: Claude under Engine in Settings → Assistant and tasks. You pay the provider directly.

The Assistant is a Beta: it works, and we are still improving it. Tell us what you notice.

#Add a key and choose the engine

1. Open Cloud in the sidebar and find the provider under Provider keys. Its row lists the steps for creating a key on the provider’s own site.
2. Paste the key and save it. The row then says Key saved.
3. Open Settings → Assistant and tasks, and choose the provider under Engine. The row shows “Key added” for a provider that has one.

#The three providers

• Groq keys start with gsk_. The same key can also do cloud speech and AI cleanup.
• OpenAI keys start with sk-. OpenAI needs prepaid credit on your account before a key works. The same key can also do AI cleanup, never speech.
• Claude keys start with sk-ant-. A Claude chat subscription is separate from the API, which needs its own credit. The same key can also do AI cleanup, never speech.

The Cloud page lists other providers for comparison. Only these three can run the Assistant.

#Choosing a Claude model

While Claude is the engine, a row called Claude model appears under Engine. It says which Claude answers, and that a smarter one takes longer and costs more for each answer.

• Haiku 4.5, the default: fast and low cost. Good for everyday questions and simple changes.
• Sonnet 5.5: smarter. Better at tasks that need several steps. Costs more.
• Opus 5.5: the smartest. Best for hard requests. Slowest and costs the most.

Choosing a model acts once, when you press it. The chat header names Claude, and the model you chose answers.

#What each one gets

All three get the same from the Assistant: your messages in the chat, the earlier messages of that chat, and, when it works with your tasks, the task titles, notes, goals and reminders it looks at. Your name, role and About you go only if you switch on Share About you with a cloud engine. A file or a saved prompt goes only after you press Send this once on a card. Your History, notes and snippets never go, and neither do your recent dictations. The full list is in the Assistant and your privacy.

Cloud speech is a separate choice and Groq is its only provider. If you also use it, each recording is uploaded to Groq to be written out. The sidebar card says which parts you have set to the cloud.

#What it costs

Dictate Safe does not resell any of this and takes no cut. Each provider bills you at its own rate. The Cloud page’s cost estimate is for dictation, not for the Assistant. Among the Claude models, Sonnet 5.5 costs more than Haiku 4.5 and Opus 5.5 costs the most, as the rows say.

#When it does not work

Claude rejected the saved API key (401). The Assistant could not answer. Check the key on the Cloud page.

Claude says there is no credit left on your account. Add credit in your Claude account, then try again.

Claude is limiting requests right now. Try again in a minute.

Claude is overloaded right now. Try again in a minute.

The cloud engine could not be reached. Check the internet connection and try again.

The provider’s name replaces Claude in these sentences. If a key will not save, see my API key will not save.