How to set up AI?

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1

Hi there,
This is probably a very broad question, but what is needed to start up an AI tool? I would like to play around with creating something like ChatGPT (obviously not that complex) - but something where users can ask a question and get a generated response. Or maybe a nickname generator.

How Would I go about doing this? My background is web/graphic design with some development so would be needing baby-steps with something like this! Is there a library or something I plug in to a website?

Any suggestions would be helpful

2

you can use ollama or something like this, if you need a server to run with or no gpu server

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Hi, the easiest path is to use a hosted API like OpenAI or Anthropic (Claude). These services let you send user input and get responses without setting up any infrastructure. You can build something like a nickname generator or chatbot with just basic web dev skills.

In this case you’d need to:

  • Create an account with one of these providers
  • Get an API key
  • Write simple frontend/backend code to send user input to the API and return the result

It’s pay-as-you-go, with free trials or free tiers available. You can also set spending caps so your app doesn’t rack up surprise bills if it gets popular.

You’re right that tools like Ollama can run models locally without cloud fees, but that’s not beginner-friendly. Running your own model on a VPS—especially without GPUs—is resource intensive, complex, and likely way more expensive than just using a hosted API. For someone starting out, that path is overkill.

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4

True, api cost more expensive. but for newbie its worth it