🔑 How to Get Your Google Gemini API Key for Use in ZotAI
If you want ZotAI to connect to Google’s Gemini models (such as Gemini 1.5 Flash or Gemini 1.5 Pro), you will need your own Gemini API key. This key allows ZotAI to make secure requests to Google’s AI services on your behalf.
✅ What Is an API Key?
An API key is a long, secret code that gives ZotAI permission to communicate with Google’s Gemini servers. It works like a password for apps:
- It authorises ZotAI to use Gemini models
- All usage is billed to your Google Cloud account
- You stay in full control of limits and spending
- You can delete or rotate the key anytime
ZotAI keeps your API key private and never shares it with anyone.
✅ Do I Need a Gemini Advanced / Google One AI Premium Subscription?
No — Gemini Advanced, Google One AI Premium, or any personal Google subscription does NOT give you API access.
These subscriptions only give you access to Gemini inside Google apps (like Gmail, Docs, and the Gemini website/app).
They do not include API usage and do not create an API key.
✅ What if I already have Gemini Advanced?
You still need to:
- Create a Google Cloud project
- Enable the Gemini API
- Add a billing method for API usage
The API is a separate service from Gemini Advanced.
✅ Important: You Must Enable Billing on Your Google Cloud Project
To use the Gemini API, Google requires you to enable billing on your Google Cloud project.
Without billing, your API key will not work and ZotAI will show errors.
You may see messages such as:
- “Request blocked due to inactive billing”
- “API key not authorised”
- “Billing account not found”
✅ This is NOT a subscription
Enabling billing does not start a monthly subscription.
Google charges you only for the API usage you actually consume (pay-as-you-go).
✅ Payments go directly to Google — never to ZotAI
ZotAI does not handle billing, does not process payments, and cannot see your payment details.
All payments go directly to Google Cloud.
✅ Do I Need a Shared Gemini Subscription Inside ZotAI?
No — ZotAI does not use shared API keys or subscriptions.
Using your own Gemini API key ensures:
- Your billing (you pay Google directly)
- Your model choices
- Your limits and quotas
- Your privacy — Only you and Google see your data
This is safer and more transparent.
✅ Step 1 — Go to the Google AI Studio
Open Google AI Studio here:
👉 https://aistudio.google.com
Log in with your Google account.
✅ Step 2 — Create a New API Key
Go to the Keys page:
👉 https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey
- Click “Create API key”
- Select or create a Google Cloud project
- Confirm billing if prompted
- Copy your API key
Your key will only be shown once — store it somewhere safe.
✅ Step 3 — Add the Key Into ZotAI
- Open ZotAI
- Go to Settings → Model Providers → Gemini
- Paste your API key
- Save
ZotAI will now connect to Gemini using your own private API key.
✅ Step 4 — Keep Your Key Safe
- Never share your key
- You can delete it anytime in Google AI Studio
- If a key stops working, simply create a new one
✅ Need Help?
If you need assistance, contact us at:
[email protected]