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How to Build a Custom AI Assistant Using OpenAI’s API – A Step-by-Step Tutorial

1. What You’ll Need Before You Start

• An OpenAI API key (sign up at platform.openai.com and add billing)
• Basic familiarity with Python (or Node.js) and a code editor
• A virtual environment (venv or conda) to keep dependencies clean

2. Setting Up Your Development Environment

• Create a new project folder and initialize a virtual environment
• Install the OpenAI Python library via pip (or the Node SDK)
• Store your API key securely using a .env file and python-d