AI provider configuration

“Ask with AI” turns a natural-language question into SQL, backed by Google’s Gemini API. It’s off until a key is configured, and configuring or changing it requires admin access.

[!NOTE] Only schema (table and column names) is sent to generate SQL — never row data.

Where the key comes from

You supply your own Gemini API key. Create one in Google AI Studio, then add it under AI Settings — this requires admin access. There’s one key per organization, and “Ask with AI” is unavailable until it’s set. Generation is billed to your own Google account, not to arcodash.

Until a key is configured, the feature stays hidden rather than showing a button that can’t work. AI Settings reports whether a key is in effect (key_source: org when a key is set, none when not).

Setting your own key

Paste your Gemini API key into AI Settings and save. It’s validated for a plausible shape client-side, then encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM before it’s stored — the same encryption mechanism used for data source credentials. Nobody can read a configured key back out through the API; you can only replace it or clear it.

Clear the field and save to remove the organization’s key — the feature then turns off again until a new key is set.

Testing the key

Use Test connection to confirm a key actually works before relying on it — it validates the key without spending any generation quota. You can test a key you’re about to save, or re-test whatever’s currently configured. The result distinguishes:

  • Valid — the key works.
  • Invalid — the provider rejected it; it’s likely mistyped or revoked.
  • Quota exceeded — the key is valid but its quota is used up; generation will fail until quota resets.
  • Network error — arcodash couldn’t reach the provider at all; try again.

Rate limiting

AI SQL generation is rate-limited per user, per minute. The platform default is 10 requests per minute; an organization can override it with its own value in AI Settings. Clearing the override falls back to the platform default.

[!TIP] The generation model is set by arcodash and is the same for every organization — it isn’t an organization setting.

Where to go next