* Docs: refresh Venice default model guidance * Venice: switch default model to Kimi K2.5 * Changelog: credit Venice default refresh
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summary, read_when, title
| summary | read_when | title | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Use Venice AI privacy-focused models in OpenClaw |
|
Venice AI |
Venice AI (Venice highlight)
Venice is our highlight Venice setup for privacy-first inference with optional anonymized access to proprietary models.
Venice AI provides privacy-focused AI inference with support for uncensored models and access to major proprietary models through their anonymized proxy. All inference is private by default—no training on your data, no logging.
Why Venice in OpenClaw
- Private inference for open-source models (no logging).
- Uncensored models when you need them.
- Anonymized access to proprietary models (Opus/GPT/Gemini) when quality matters.
- OpenAI-compatible
/v1endpoints.
Privacy Modes
Venice offers two privacy levels — understanding this is key to choosing your model:
| Mode | Description | Models |
|---|---|---|
| Private | Fully private. Prompts/responses are never stored or logged. Ephemeral. | Llama, Qwen, DeepSeek, Kimi, MiniMax, Venice Uncensored, etc. |
| Anonymized | Proxied through Venice with metadata stripped. The underlying provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, xAI) sees anonymized requests. | Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok |
Features
- Privacy-focused: Choose between "private" (fully private) and "anonymized" (proxied) modes
- Uncensored models: Access to models without content restrictions
- Major model access: Use Claude, GPT, Gemini, and Grok via Venice's anonymized proxy
- OpenAI-compatible API: Standard
/v1endpoints for easy integration - Streaming: ✅ Supported on all models
- Function calling: ✅ Supported on select models (check model capabilities)
- Vision: ✅ Supported on models with vision capability
- No hard rate limits: Fair-use throttling may apply for extreme usage
Setup
1. Get API Key
- Sign up at venice.ai
- Go to Settings → API Keys → Create new key
- Copy your API key (format:
vapi_xxxxxxxxxxxx)
2. Configure OpenClaw
Option A: Environment Variable
export VENICE_API_KEY="vapi_xxxxxxxxxxxx"
Option B: Interactive Setup (Recommended)
openclaw onboard --auth-choice venice-api-key
This will:
- Prompt for your API key (or use existing
VENICE_API_KEY) - Show all available Venice models
- Let you pick your default model
- Configure the provider automatically
Option C: Non-interactive
openclaw onboard --non-interactive \
--auth-choice venice-api-key \
--venice-api-key "vapi_xxxxxxxxxxxx"
3. Verify Setup
openclaw agent --model venice/kimi-k2-5 --message "Hello, are you working?"
Model Selection
After setup, OpenClaw shows all available Venice models. Pick based on your needs:
- Default model:
venice/kimi-k2-5for strong private reasoning plus vision. - High-capability option:
venice/claude-opus-4-6for the strongest anonymized Venice path. - Privacy: Choose "private" models for fully private inference.
- Capability: Choose "anonymized" models to access Claude, GPT, Gemini via Venice's proxy.
Change your default model anytime:
openclaw models set venice/kimi-k2-5
openclaw models set venice/claude-opus-4-6
List all available models:
openclaw models list | grep venice
Configure via openclaw configure
- Run
openclaw configure - Select Model/auth
- Choose Venice AI
Which Model Should I Use?
| Use Case | Recommended Model | Why |
|---|---|---|
| General chat (default) | kimi-k2-5 |
Strong private reasoning plus vision |
| Best overall quality | claude-opus-4-6 |
Strongest anonymized Venice option |
| Privacy + coding | qwen3-coder-480b-a35b-instruct |
Private coding model with large context |
| Private vision | kimi-k2-5 |
Vision support without leaving private mode |
| Fast + cheap | qwen3-4b |
Lightweight reasoning model |
| Complex private tasks | deepseek-v3.2 |
Strong reasoning, but no Venice tool support |
| Uncensored | venice-uncensored |
No content restrictions |
Available Models (41 Total)
Private Models (26) — Fully Private, No Logging
| Model ID | Name | Context | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
kimi-k2-5 |
Kimi K2.5 | 256k | Default, reasoning, vision |
kimi-k2-thinking |
Kimi K2 Thinking | 256k | Reasoning |
llama-3.3-70b |
Llama 3.3 70B | 128k | General |
llama-3.2-3b |
Llama 3.2 3B | 128k | General |
hermes-3-llama-3.1-405b |
Hermes 3 Llama 3.1 405B | 128k | General, tools disabled |
qwen3-235b-a22b-thinking-2507 |
Qwen3 235B Thinking | 128k | Reasoning |
qwen3-235b-a22b-instruct-2507 |
Qwen3 235B Instruct | 128k | General |
qwen3-coder-480b-a35b-instruct |
Qwen3 Coder 480B | 256k | Coding |
qwen3-coder-480b-a35b-instruct-turbo |
Qwen3 Coder 480B Turbo | 256k | Coding |
qwen3-5-35b-a3b |
Qwen3.5 35B A3B | 256k | Reasoning, vision |
qwen3-next-80b |
Qwen3 Next 80B | 256k | General |
qwen3-vl-235b-a22b |
Qwen3 VL 235B (Vision) | 256k | Vision |
qwen3-4b |
Venice Small (Qwen3 4B) | 32k | Fast, reasoning |
deepseek-v3.2 |
DeepSeek V3.2 | 160k | Reasoning, tools disabled |
venice-uncensored |
Venice Uncensored (Dolphin-Mistral) | 32k | Uncensored, tools disabled |
mistral-31-24b |
Venice Medium (Mistral) | 128k | Vision |
google-gemma-3-27b-it |
Google Gemma 3 27B Instruct | 198k | Vision |
openai-gpt-oss-120b |
OpenAI GPT OSS 120B | 128k | General |
nvidia-nemotron-3-nano-30b-a3b |
NVIDIA Nemotron 3 Nano 30B | 128k | General |
olafangensan-glm-4.7-flash-heretic |
GLM 4.7 Flash Heretic | 128k | Reasoning |
zai-org-glm-4.6 |
GLM 4.6 | 198k | General |
zai-org-glm-4.7 |
GLM 4.7 | 198k | Reasoning |
zai-org-glm-4.7-flash |
GLM 4.7 Flash | 128k | Reasoning |
zai-org-glm-5 |
GLM 5 | 198k | Reasoning |
minimax-m21 |
MiniMax M2.1 | 198k | Reasoning |
minimax-m25 |
MiniMax M2.5 | 198k | Reasoning |
Anonymized Models (15) — Via Venice Proxy
| Model ID | Name | Context | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
claude-opus-4-6 |
Claude Opus 4.6 (via Venice) | 1M | Reasoning, vision |
claude-opus-4-5 |
Claude Opus 4.5 (via Venice) | 198k | Reasoning, vision |
claude-sonnet-4-6 |
Claude Sonnet 4.6 (via Venice) | 1M | Reasoning, vision |
claude-sonnet-4-5 |
Claude Sonnet 4.5 (via Venice) | 198k | Reasoning, vision |
openai-gpt-54 |
GPT-5.4 (via Venice) | 1M | Reasoning, vision |
openai-gpt-53-codex |
GPT-5.3 Codex (via Venice) | 400k | Reasoning, vision, coding |
openai-gpt-52 |
GPT-5.2 (via Venice) | 256k | Reasoning |
openai-gpt-52-codex |
GPT-5.2 Codex (via Venice) | 256k | Reasoning, vision, coding |
openai-gpt-4o-2024-11-20 |
GPT-4o (via Venice) | 128k | Vision |
openai-gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18 |
GPT-4o Mini (via Venice) | 128k | Vision |
gemini-3-1-pro-preview |
Gemini 3.1 Pro (via Venice) | 1M | Reasoning, vision |
gemini-3-pro-preview |
Gemini 3 Pro (via Venice) | 198k | Reasoning, vision |
gemini-3-flash-preview |
Gemini 3 Flash (via Venice) | 256k | Reasoning, vision |
grok-41-fast |
Grok 4.1 Fast (via Venice) | 1M | Reasoning, vision |
grok-code-fast-1 |
Grok Code Fast 1 (via Venice) | 256k | Reasoning, coding |
Model Discovery
OpenClaw automatically discovers models from the Venice API when VENICE_API_KEY is set. If the API is unreachable, it falls back to a static catalog.
The /models endpoint is public (no auth needed for listing), but inference requires a valid API key.
Streaming & Tool Support
| Feature | Support |
|---|---|
| Streaming | ✅ All models |
| Function calling | ✅ Most models (check supportsFunctionCalling in API) |
| Vision/Images | ✅ Models marked with "Vision" feature |
| JSON mode | ✅ Supported via response_format |
Pricing
Venice uses a credit-based system. Check venice.ai/pricing for current rates:
- Private models: Generally lower cost
- Anonymized models: Similar to direct API pricing + small Venice fee
Comparison: Venice vs Direct API
| Aspect | Venice (Anonymized) | Direct API |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy | Metadata stripped, anonymized | Your account linked |
| Latency | +10-50ms (proxy) | Direct |
| Features | Most features supported | Full features |
| Billing | Venice credits | Provider billing |
Usage Examples
# Use the default private model
openclaw agent --model venice/kimi-k2-5 --message "Quick health check"
# Use Claude Opus via Venice (anonymized)
openclaw agent --model venice/claude-opus-4-6 --message "Summarize this task"
# Use uncensored model
openclaw agent --model venice/venice-uncensored --message "Draft options"
# Use vision model with image
openclaw agent --model venice/qwen3-vl-235b-a22b --message "Review attached image"
# Use coding model
openclaw agent --model venice/qwen3-coder-480b-a35b-instruct --message "Refactor this function"
Troubleshooting
API key not recognized
echo $VENICE_API_KEY
openclaw models list | grep venice
Ensure the key starts with vapi_.
Model not available
The Venice model catalog updates dynamically. Run openclaw models list to see currently available models. Some models may be temporarily offline.
Connection issues
Venice API is at https://api.venice.ai/api/v1. Ensure your network allows HTTPS connections.
Config file example
{
env: { VENICE_API_KEY: "vapi_..." },
agents: { defaults: { model: { primary: "venice/kimi-k2-5" } } },
models: {
mode: "merge",
providers: {
venice: {
baseUrl: "https://api.venice.ai/api/v1",
apiKey: "${VENICE_API_KEY}",
api: "openai-completions",
models: [
{
id: "kimi-k2-5",
name: "Kimi K2.5",
reasoning: true,
input: ["text", "image"],
cost: { input: 0, output: 0, cacheRead: 0, cacheWrite: 0 },
contextWindow: 256000,
maxTokens: 65536,
},
],
},
},
},
}