AI Labs

• AI Vision
• AI BIM Generator

AI Vision

🔑 How to Get Your Google API Key?

You will manage your AI access through Google AI Studio. This is the professional portal for managing Google API keys.

1. Sign in to Google AI Studio

• Go to aistudio.google.com.
• Sign in using your Google or Workspace account.

2. Set Up Billing

To access high-efficiency image generation models like Nano Banana 2, your project must be on a Paid Tier.

• In the left-hand sidebar, click on Settings (gear icon) or look for a “Set up billing” button.
• Click “Add payment method.” You will be redirected to the Google Cloud Console. Follow the prompts to link a credit card or bank account.
• Pro-Tip: You can set a Monthly Budget Alert (e.g., $10 or $50) in the Google Cloud Billing dashboard to ensure you never have unexpected costs.

3. Create Your API Key

• Once billing is active, return to the API Keys page in AI Studio.
• Click the blue “Create API key” button.
• Select a project (the default project is usually fine) and click “Create API key in existing project.”
• Copy the key. You’ll need to paste it into the settings of the AI Vision palette.

🛠️ Set Google API Key in Archicad

Once you have your key (a string of characters starting with AIza...), follow these steps in the add-on:

1. Open the palette by clicking on Bimdots / Bimdots AI Labs / Bimdots AI Vision within Archicad.
2. Click the Settings button in the top-right corner of the palette.
3. Paste your key into the Google API Key field.
4. Click OK.

AI BIM Generator

🔑 How to Get Your OpenAI API Key

You can manage your AI access through the OpenAI Platform, the official portal for creating and managing API keys.

1. Sign In to the OpenAI Platform

Go to platform.openai.com. Sign in with your OpenAI account, or create a new one if you don’t have an account yet.

2. Set Up Billing

To use the AI BIM Generator, you may need to add a payment method and purchase API credits, depending on your account and available balance.

1. Open the Billing settings.
2. Add a payment method or purchase API credits, following the available options.
3. Check your billing settings to understand your current balance and usage limits.

Pro Tip: Set up usage notifications and, where available, project spending limits to help monitor your API costs and avoid unexpected expenses. Note that spending limits and budget alerts may not automatically stop all API usage.

3. Create Your API Key

1. Open the API Keys page.
2. Select the appropriate project, or create a new one if needed.
3. Click Create new secret key.
4. Enter a name for your key and configure its permissions if prompted.
5. Click Create secret key and copy the key.

Important: Copy and store your API key securely. For security reasons, you may not be able to view the full key again after closing the dialog. Never share your key publicly.

🛠️ Set OpenAI API Key in Archicad

Once you have your key (a string of characters starting with sk...), follow these steps in the add-on:

1. Open the palette by clicking on Bimdots / Bimdots AI Labs / Bimdots AI BIM Generator within Archicad.
2. Click the Settings button in the top-right corner of the palette.
3. Paste your key into the OpenAI API Key field.
4. Click OK.