---
title: "Add a model"
description: "Connect a cloud model or a local model, with automatic failover."
lang: en
---

Bi talks to providers through a common model interface, so most services connect directly.

## Add a provider

In Settings, fill in:

- **Base URL** — the endpoint, for example `https://api.openai.com/v1`
- **API key** — your key for that provider
- **Model name** — for example `gpt-4o`
- **API type** — usually OpenAI-compatible; Ollama can also use its native API

Each model can declare its capabilities (vision, tools, reasoning) and context length, which the UI uses for display and filtering.

## Where keys are stored

Keys are stored in the local `.bi` directory. Bi has no server of its own, so a key is only sent to the endpoint you configured.

## Local models

Point the Base URL at a model service running on your machine and content need not leave it. Common choices:

- Ollama
- LM Studio
- vLLM

## Default model and failover

You can pin one model or let Bi choose automatically. Automatic selection picks among available models; if one is temporarily unavailable (connection failure or timeout), another available model continues the task instead of aborting it.

## Long sessions

How context is compacted and continued is covered in [Long conversations](/docs/advanced/context).