# OpenAI API Key setup **URL:** \ **Category:** Fast Prototyping of GenAI Apps with Streamlit\ **Tags:** week-module-1, dl-ai-learning-platform\ **Created:** [May 28, 2026, 2:25am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478 "2026-05-28T02:25:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yyang85](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/yyang85/32/128168_2.png) [@yyang85](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/yyang85)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 2:25am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/1 "2026-05-28T02:25:23Z")
Do we need to have an OpenAI API key to finish this course? I’m not based in the US and cannot access OpenAI’s website. I’ve never set up an account there before. ---
**Author:** ![gent.spah](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/gent.spah/32/136423_2.png) [@gent.spah](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/gent.spah)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 8:28am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/2 "2026-05-28T08:28:39Z")
For the courses you undertake here, you have access to the platforms used from within the teaching interface! ---
**Author:** ![summerla](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/summerla/32/145708_2.png) [@summerla](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/summerla)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2026, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/3 "2026-05-28T16:10:55Z")
Hi @yyang85 Thank you for taking the course! Can you please tell me where in the course you are running into issues? Thanks for solid advice @gent.spah . ---
**Author:** ![yyang85](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/yyang85/32/128168_2.png) [@yyang85](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/yyang85)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 6:16am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/4 "2026-05-29T06:16:22Z")
In Module 1, it already requires the user to have an OpenAI API key to run the Python code in the Github repository. ![Screenshot 2026-05-29 at 14.17.58](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/original/3X/c/1/c1d85d87dbe97ebfe9f9516bc3a93c43160cf982.png) ---
**Author:** ![summerla](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/summerla/32/145708_2.png) [@summerla](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/summerla)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 2:33pm UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/5 "2026-05-29T14:33:26Z")
That document is an example showing you how to set up your environment variables if you want to configure things on your own desktop instead of using Snowflake. But you wont’ need your own API key to take the course; we provide all of that for you on the DeepLearning platform inside the course. ---
**Author:** ![yyang85](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/yyang85/32/128168_2.png) [@yyang85](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/yyang85)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 3:09am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/6 "2026-06-02T03:09:19Z")
Can you show me a screenshot of how that’s done? I don’t see any DeepLearning platform inside the course. All the notebooks need to be run outside of the platform. In addition, I also cannot run some of the notebooks in Snowflake as some AI functions (such as \_PARSE\_DOCUMENT\_LLM) are not available for trial accounts. ---
**Author:** ![gent.spah](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/gent.spah/32/136423_2.png) [@gent.spah](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/gent.spah)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 8:14am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/7 "2026-06-02T08:14:24Z")
Im guessing you’re on a trial account. If you don’t have a Pro account, you usually won’t have access to the hands-on labs and the integrated DeepLearning.AI environment that the course expects you to use. That’s why you’re not seeing a place to run everything inside the platform or to add keys—those parts are only available in the full lab setup. So in your case, there’s no specific “screen” or step you’re missing; it’s simply that the practical environment isn’t enabled for your account type. ---
**Author:** ![yyang85](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/yyang85/32/128168_2.png) [@yyang85](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/yyang85)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 9:40am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/8 "2026-06-02T09:40:02Z")
I do have a Pro account. This particular course I’m asking about has no integrated learning environment or lab setting. ---
**Author:** ![gent.spah](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/gent.spah/32/136423_2.png) [@gent.spah](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/gent.spah)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2026, 10:40am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/9 "2026-06-02T10:40:45Z")
Yes, I see what you mean—there doesn’t seem to be a dedicated lab interface inside the environment. From what I found in this course, the lab is designed differently: there isn’t a built-in interactive UI to click through. Instead, you’re expected to set up your own application and account externally, and then follow the step-by-step instructions provided in the lab guide. ![Screenshot 2026-06-02 at 12.39.07 PM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/original/3X/8/b/8bd1aae240725f2d72ce37340b29a1cba6c9e586.png) ![Screenshot 2026-06-02 at 12.39.15 PM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/original/3X/7/b/7bcd7ed89c5f8d1cc0e44f0ce9c7479122880457.png) ---
**Author:** ![summerla](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/dlai/user_avatar/community.deeplearning.ai/summerla/32/145708_2.png) [@summerla](https://community.deeplearning.ai/u/summerla)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2026, 12:50am UTC](https://community.deeplearning.ai/t/openai-api-key-setup/892478/10 "2026-06-09T00:50:39Z")
Thanks for the clarification; this lab is meant to be done on the Snowflake platform. Instructions for setting up a free Snowflake trial account are in the video Module 2: Introducing Snowflake. This will walk you through setting up a trial account and all of the other steps you need to start doing this work on the Snowflake platform.