The Power of Bring-Your-Own-Key (BYOK) AI
Most social automation tools require you to use their shared AI subscription, exposing you to marked-up API costs, generic prompts, and potential data leaks. AutoPROMO's local-first architecture uses a Bring-Your-Own-Key (BYOK) model.
By connecting your own OpenAI key, you control which model version you use (like GPT-4o or GPT-3.5-turbo), pay the exact raw token cost directly to OpenAI, and maintain full data privacy.
Step 1: Generate Your OpenAI API Key
Before configuring AutoPROMO, you need a developer API key from OpenAI:
- Navigate to the official OpenAI Developer Platform (platform.openai.com) and log in.
- Ensure your account has billing set up and has credit balance (separate from ChatGPT Plus).
- Go to the API Keys section in the sidebar.
- Click + Create new secret key. Give it a name like "AutoPROMO Client" and select your project.
- Copy the generated key immediately. Store it securely; OpenAI will not show it to you again.
Step 2: Enter the Key Securely into AutoPROMO
Once you have your key, open your local AutoPROMO Desktop Client:
Navigate to the Settings tab. Locate the AI Configuration panel. Paste your `sk-...` secret key into the OpenAI field, choose your preferred model target (e.g., `gpt-4o`), and click **Save**.
Security Note: AutoPROMO encrypts this key locally on your disk using AES-256-GCM, salted with a unique machine identifier. The key is only decrypted in-memory during active draft generation requests.
Step 3: Setup AI Campaign Drafts with Safety Gates
With your key configured, you can build a compliant campaign:
- Define Target Keywords: Instruct AutoPROMO to scan for relevant topics in your niche.
- Write Your Brand Prompt: Set clear instructions for the AI (e.g., *"Helpful, friendly support tone. Do not mention competitors. Keep replies under 150 characters"*).
- Enable Human Review: Ensure the safety gate toggle is enabled. This places all draft replies in the queue where you can edit, reject, or approve them before publishing.
Step 4: Execute with Human-in-the-Loop Approval
When the campaign runner detects target posts, your OpenAI key is triggered to generate contextual replies. They appear in your Campaign Review Dashboard.
Review each reply draft. If the draft matches your brand guidelines, click **Approve & Queue**. AutoPROMO's campaign runner will publish it to X, honoring conservative pacing intervals (30–90 seconds default) to protect your account's health.