Hi [FIRST NAME GOES HERE], Last week, I encouraged you to experiment with different LLMs, since there’s no one model that is superior across all use cases. Specifically, I suggested you try using Chatbot Arena, which allows you to chat with multiple models at once. It’s completely free, but has two significant disadvantages:
Today, I want to offer you a better method for experimenting with LLMs, and it’s the method I personally use. But first, we need to talk about LLM pricing… 🏷 What’s the cheapest way to access LLMs?If you’re familiar with ChatGPT, you probably know that it offers a limited Free plan and a $20/month Plus plan. But did you know that there’s a more flexible, affordable way to access the paid features of ChatGPT? If you access LLMs via API, you actually pay per “token”, which is roughly equivalent to a word. The LLM I use the most, GPT-4o mini, costs only $0.15 per million “input tokens” (what you send to it) and $0.60 per million “output tokens” (what it sends back). That means most of my conversations cost fractions of a cent! And when I want to use a more powerful model (like Claude 3.5 Sonnet), I pay perhaps $0.10 for a conversation. In summary, accessing LLMs via API means that you can use whichever models you need, and only pay for the tokens you use. Win-win! 🌐 How to access LLMs via APIIf you like the idea of accessing LLMs in a flexible, affordable way, there’s only two things you need to get started:
An “API key” is just a unique identifier that allows you to access a web service. For example, my API key from OpenAI allows me to use their models, and they bill me for the usage. Once you have an API key, you need an interface for chatting with the LLM. My preferred interface is TypingMind: All you have to do is give TypingMind your API key, and it will communicate with the LLM on your behalf! I love TypingMind because it’s so easy to switch between different LLMs while still tracking your conversation history in one place. It’s also got a ton of power user features: AI agents, plugins, voice mode, document upload, cloud sync, etc. ⏩ Action itemsThis week, I want you to try using an LLM via API. Here are the steps:
Next time, I'll give you tips for how to get the best results from LLMs!
Tuesday Tips is on pause during the holiday break, so I'll see you in 2025! - Kevin P.S. Your workouts are a work of art (27-second video, turn on audio!) Also: behind the scenes. Did someone AWESOME forward you this email? Sign up here to receive weekly Artificial Intelligence tips! |
Join 25,000+ intelligent readers and receive AI tips every Tuesday!
Hi Reader, Yesterday, I posted this announcement on LinkedIn and Bluesky and X: Kevin Markham @justmarkham Dream unlocked: I'm publishing my first book! 🎉🎉🎉 It's called "Master Machine Learning with scikit-learn: A Practical Guide to Building Better Models with Python" Download the first 3 chapters right now: 👉 https://dataschool.kit.com/mlbook 👈 Thanks for your support 🙏 1:47 PM • Sep 11, 2025 1 Retweets 5 Likes Read 1 replies This has been a dream of mine for many years, and I'm so excited...
Hi Reader, Hope you’ve had a nice summer! ☀️ As for me, I’ve been finishing my first ever book! I can’t wait to tell you about it and invite you to be part of the launch… stay tuned 👀 Today's email focuses on a single important topic: AI’s impact on your mental health 🧠 Read more below! 👇 Sponsored by: Morning Brew The 5-Minute Newsletter That Makes Business Make Sense Business news doesn't have to be dry. Morning Brew gives you the biggest stories in business, tech, and finance with quick...
Hi Reader, Most of us access Large Language Models (LLMs) through a web interface, like ChatGPT or Claude. It’s highly convenient, though there are two potential drawbacks: Cost: Some amount of usage is free, but heavy usage (or access to premium models) costs money. Privacy: Depending on the service, your chats may be used to train future models. (Or at the very least, your chats may be accessed if ordered by a court.) One solution is to run an LLM locally, which has gotten much easier with...