AI and models

Hive uses large language models to read, reason, write and plan. This page explains which providers are involved, what data they receive, and the controls you have.

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Where AI is used

In every case the model proposes. Whether anything happens in your tools is decided by Hive’s deterministic policy engine and, where required, a person. See Security overview.

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Model providers

Hive works with models from several providers:

• OpenAI
• Anthropic
• Google
• xAI
• Microsoft

Requests reach these providers either directly or through a model gateway provider that routes requests to the model you picked. Embeddings (used to search your knowledge) and image generation use OpenAI. Web search in Ask and in workflows uses Tavily, a search provider. Which models appear in your model picker depends on what is configured for your workspace; Hive does not guarantee a fixed list. Each answer records the model that actually produced it.

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What providers receive

To answer a request, the model needs context. Hive sends only what that request needs:

• your question or the step’s instructions;
• the relevant excerpts retrieved from your tools, files and Business Brain;
• earlier turns of the conversation when chat memory is allowed.

Hive does not send connector credentials, API keys or secrets to any model. Untrusted content — emails, documents, web pages — is clearly marked as data, never instructions. Hive does not send prompts or completions to third-party tracing or observability services.

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Training and your data

• Hive does not use your workspace’s chat and workflow data to improve its product unless an Owner or Admin turns on Help improve Hive in Settings → Workspace → Data sharing. With it on, the product states: “No personal data will be used.” See Data protection.
• Model providers process requests under their own terms for API and enterprise use. If your organisation has specific requirements about a provider, use the model restrictions or bring your own key, below, and contact us with questions.

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Control which models are used

Owners and Admins can restrict the workspace to an allow-list of models in Settings → Workspace → Models (up to 50 models). An empty allow-list means no restriction.

• Members see only models that are available to them.
• Admins also see unavailable models, with the reason — for example, the provider is not configured.
• The picker shows Workspace default, or Hive Auto when automatic routing is the default.
• An explicit model choice also governs the planning and retrieval steps behind that answer.

See Models for the member view.

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Bring your own key

If your organisation has its own agreement with OpenAI or Anthropic, you can fund seats with your organisation’s key rather than Hive credits. Requests on those seats are billed by your provider under your agreement. One organisation-wide key is used and only its last four characters are ever shown. See Billing and plans.

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When credits run out

If a member’s AI credits run out, chat falls back to an included efficient model rather than failing. Agents can be configured to block usage or switch model when a limit is reached. Workflow and agent runs stop when the workspace’s run allowance is used up.

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Keeping AI output honest

• Citations are built by Hive, not the model. The model points at evidence; Hive fills in the labels and links from the actual sources, and only allows safe https links.
• Live-read failures are disclosed. If Hive could not check a live source, the answer says so and notes that it relied on stored data that may be out of date.
• Confidence is labelled. A signal shows whether its confidence is Hive’s own estimate or measured.
• Low-trust sources stay low-trust. Knowledge derived from an untrusted source is never promoted to trusted by the model.

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