OpenClaw with AI Gateway

OpenClaw is a self-hosted gateway that connects messaging platforms and coding agents. Add AI Gateway as a model provider so every agent and channel shares one key, one model catalog, and one spend view.

Run the Vercel CLI setup command for OpenClaw:

npx vercel ai-gateway setup --agent openclaw

The command provisions a key, adds the provider and a starter model list to ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json, and exports AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY from a managed block in your shell startup file.

If you can't use the Vercel CLI, configure OpenClaw manually:

1. Create an API key

   Go to the AI Gateway section in the Vercel dashboard sidebar and click API keys to create a new API key.

2. Export the key

   Add the key to your shell configuration file, for example ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc:

   Terminal

   export AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY="your-ai-gateway-api-key"

3. Add the provider

   OpenClaw reads ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json. Add the gateway under models.providers:

   ~/.openclaw/openclaw.json

   {
     "models": {
       "providers": {
         "vercel-ai-gateway": {
           "baseUrl": "https://ai-gateway.vercel.sh/coding-agent/v1",
           "apiKey": "${AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY}",
           "api": "openai-completions",
           "models": [
             { "id": "anthropic/claude-opus-5", "name": "Claude Opus 5 (Gateway)" },
             { "id": "openai/gpt-6-astra", "name": "GPT-6 Astra (Gateway)" },
             { "id": "google/gemini-3.6-flash", "name": "Gemini 3.6 Flash (Gateway)" }
           ]
         }
       }
     },
     "agents": {
       "defaults": {
         "model": {
           "primary": "vercel-ai-gateway/anthropic/claude-opus-5"
         }
       }
     }
   }

   The ${...} reference is OpenClaw's own environment syntax, resolved when it loads the config, so your key stays out of the file.

   https://ai-gateway.vercel.sh/coding-agent/v1 is the coding agent surface, the default base URL for agents that have no dedicated endpoint. It's the same URL the setup command writes.

   Only models declared in the provider's models array are routable, so add any gateway model you want to use. Browse the models catalog for IDs.

4. Reload OpenClaw

   OpenClaw watches its config file and applies most changes on its own. If the new provider doesn't show up, restart the gateway process.

• Browse the models catalog for available models
• Read OpenClaw's model provider documentation
• Configure spend limits on your API key
• Connect your other agents with the Vercel CLI