Settings

Default model — no account needed

Out of the box, GUARD uses minimax/minimax-m2.5. It is a free default model that requires no sign-up and no personal API key, so you can open a lab and start working immediately.

Why don't we just use ChatGPT?

Frontier models are not free to run. Even when each prompt only costs a fraction of a cent, usage compounds quickly once many people are working through multiple lab iterations.

PATHFINDER is an Erasmus+ funded educational project, and our budget cannot cover premium-model usage for every session. The free default keeps GUARD open to everyone, while bring-your-own-key access lets you opt into paid models and cover only your own usage.

How do I get started with a premium model?

GUARD connects to AI models through a service called OpenRouter — think of it as a single gateway that lets you access many different AI systems from one place. To use a paid or custom model:

1. Create a free account at openrouter.ai.
2. Add a small amount of credit to your account (a few dollars is more than enough for many sessions).
3. Generate an API key in your OpenRouter dashboard.
4. Paste the key into the API Key field above and choose a model.

Your API key is stored only in your browser session. Any model usage is billed directly by OpenRouter to your account; GUARD does not process payments or retain your key server-side.