# AI Providers

# AI Providers

Chronoid supports both cloud and local AI providers. You can enable more than one provider, switch between them, and choose models that best fit AI Assistant conversations, attachments, suggestions, and MCP-backed workflows.

![Provider settings](/docs/provider-setting.png)

## Supported Providers

Chronoid supports these provider modes:

### Hosted Providers

- OpenAI
- OpenRouter
- DeepSeek
- Gemini (Google)
- Groq
- Claude (Anthropic)
- Cohere
- Mistral AI
- Perplexity
- Together AI

### Local, On-Device, or Custom Providers

- Ollama
- LM Studio
- Apple Intelligence, when available on your Mac
- Custom OpenAI-compatible providers

## What You Configure

Depending on the provider, Chronoid can show:

- **Base URL** for custom or self-hosted endpoints
- **Model** selection
- **API key**
- **Connection status**
- **Available models** loaded from the provider

Custom providers can also load models from the standard models endpoint, which makes setup easier when your endpoint supports model discovery.

## Typical Setup Flow

1. Open **Settings → AI Providers**.
2. Select the provider from the left sidebar.
3. Enable that provider.
4. Enter the base URL if the provider is local or custom.
5. Enter an API key if the provider requires one.
6. Choose a model from the available list.
7. Confirm the connection status looks healthy.

## Choosing A Provider

- Use **OpenAI**, **Claude**, **Gemini**, **Groq**, **Cohere**, **Mistral AI**, **Perplexity**, or **Together AI** if you want hosted models.
- Use **OpenRouter** if you want access to many providers through one endpoint.
- Use **DeepSeek** if you want supported reasoning-oriented models.
- Use **Ollama** or **LM Studio** if you want local control and lower privacy exposure.
- Use **Apple Intelligence** if you want an Apple-managed on-device option when supported.
- Use **Custom** if you already run an OpenAI-compatible endpoint.

## Tips

- Start with one provider first, then add fallbacks later.
- If the model list is empty, re-check the base URL, API key, and whether the endpoint supports model discovery.
- Local endpoints often use URLs such as `http://localhost:11434` or `http://localhost:1234/v1`, depending on your stack.
- Different features may feel better on different models. Fast small models are often enough for suggestions, while AI Assistant workflows may benefit from stronger models.

## Privacy Notes

Cloud providers process the prompts and tool results required to answer your request. Local providers keep that traffic on your machine or network.

If privacy is your top priority, prefer a local provider and verify that its base URL points to your local environment.

## Related Guides

- [AI Assistant](/docs/ai/ai-assistant)
- [Chronoid MCP Server](/docs/ai/mcp-server)

For help, email [support@chronoid.app](mailto:support@chronoid.app)

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Source: https://www.chronoid.app/docs/ai/providers