# AI6.1 Integrating External AI APIs

This skill covers how to incorporate third-party AI services—such as foundation models, transcription engines, and vision APIs—into HPC workflows. It includes authentication, latency handling, and resource-aware integration techniques.

## Requirements

* External: Familiarity with web APIs and basic programming
* Internal: None

## Learning Outcomes

* Identify common external AI APIs and services (e.g., OpenAI, Hugging Face, Google Vision).
* Demonstrate secure API integration using authentication methods like OAuth or API keys.
* Handle latency, rate limits, and failures in long-running HPC jobs using retry/backoff strategies.
* Apply methods for data formatting and streaming between HPC systems and external APIs.
* Evaluate trade-offs between in-house models and external service integration.

** Caution: All text is AI generated **