How to get your OpenAI API key.
VSL Creator is bring-your-own-key: the script generation runs on your own OpenAI account, so you need an OpenAI API key before you generate your first VSL. It takes about five minutes, and you only do it once.
Step by step
- 01 Go to platform.openai.com/signup and create an account, or sign in at platform.openai.com/login if you already have one. This is the OpenAI developer platform, which is a separate area from ChatGPT.
- 02 Add a payment method and some credit under Settings → Billing. API access needs its own billing set up, and a new account with no credit on it will return an error when you try to generate.
- 03 Open platform.openai.com/api-keys and choose Create new secret key. Give it a name you will recognise later, such as “VSL Creator”.
- 04 Copy the key as soon as it appears. It starts with sk- and OpenAI shows it only once — if you close the dialog without copying it, delete that key and create another one.
- 05 Paste the key into your profile in VSL Creator and save. Generation then runs on your own OpenAI account.
Who bills you for what
Mulkern AI Systems bills you once — $47 for the software itself. Nothing renews.
OpenAI bills you directly for the generation you run through your own key, on your own OpenAI account. We never resell AI usage and never see those charges. A script is a few thousand words of generation, so a typical VSL costs cents rather than dollars, but the exact figure depends on the model you choose, how long your script runs and how many times you regenerate.
Treat that as a realistic expectation rather than a promise. Providers change their models and prices from time to time, so the usage dashboard in your own OpenAI account is the number that counts. Note also that the OpenAI API is billed separately from ChatGPT: a paid ChatGPT plan does not include API usage.
The ElevenLabs key is optional
VSL Creator also accepts an ElevenLabs API key for the narration voice. It is optional: you can add it when you create your account, add it later in your profile settings, or leave it out entirely. The OpenAI key is the one you need for script generation.
If you want it, create the key at elevenlabs.io and paste it in the same way. ElevenLabs bills you directly for the characters you convert, exactly as OpenAI bills you for tokens — we do not resell either.
Keeping your key safe
Treat the key like a password: it can spend money on your account. Do not post it publicly or email it to anyone, including us — support will never ask you for it.
If you think a key has leaked, delete it at platform.openai.com/api-keys and create a fresh one. You can also set a monthly spend limit in your OpenAI billing settings if you want a hard ceiling on usage.
Stuck on any step? Email support@mulkernai.com and we will walk you through it.