OpenAI o1 in the API Howto
OpenAI o1 is a new series of 'reasoning' models accessible through the API that excels at complex problem-solving tasks with enhanced reasoning capabilities, available in two variants: o1-preview and o1-mini.
View MoreHow to Use OpenAI o1 in the API
Check API Access Requirements: Verify that your OpenAI account is in Tier 5 usage level (requires $1,000 paid and 30+ days since first successful payment). Currently o1 models are only available to Tier 5 API users.
Generate API Key: Log in to the OpenAI platform and generate an API key from your account dashboard if you haven't already.
Install OpenAI SDK: Install the OpenAI Python package using pip: 'pip install openai'. Make sure you have version 0.0.59 or greater to use o1 models.
Initialize OpenAI Client: Import and initialize the OpenAI client with your API key: 'from openai import OpenAI; client = OpenAI(api_key='YOUR_API_KEY')
Choose o1 Model: Select either o1-preview (for complex reasoning with broad knowledge) or o1-mini (faster/cheaper version for coding/math/science) based on your needs.
Make API Request: Create a completion request specifying the o1 model and your prompt: 'completion = client.chat.completions.create(model='o1-preview', messages=[{'role': 'user', 'content': 'Your prompt here'}])'
Handle Response: Access the model's response from completion.choices[0].message.content. Note that o1 models currently have a rate limit of 20 requests per minute.
Consider Limitations: Be aware that o1 API currently lacks features like function calling, streaming, and system messages. OpenAI is working to add these features in future updates.
OpenAI o1 in the API FAQs
Accessing the o1 models through the API requires a Tier 5 usage level, which can be checked in the Limits section under Organization on your OpenAI developer platform account page.
OpenAI o1 in the API Monthly Traffic Trends
OpenAI o1 in the API experienced a slight 1.6% decline in traffic with 22.6M visits. This slight decline might be attributed to the release of new models o3 and o4-mini on April 16, 2025, which could have drawn attention away from the existing o1 model.
View history traffic
Popular Articles

Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview 05-06 Update
May 8, 2025

Suno AI v4.5: The Ultimate AI Music Generator Upgrade in 2025
May 6, 2025

How to Install and Use FramePack: The Best Free Open-Source AI Video Generator for Long Videos in 2025
Apr 28, 2025

DeepAgent Review 2025: The God-Tier AI Agent that's going viral everywhere
Apr 27, 2025
View More