vercel/ai
The AI Toolkit for TypeScript. From the creators of Next.js, the AI SDK is a free open-source library for building AI-powered applications and agents
The 23,309-star TypeScript AI SDK from the Next.js team -- unified streaming API for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and 20+ providers. Install with npm install ai and ship chatbots, agents, and structured AI outputs to production with React hooks like useChat.
Our Review
Vercel AI SDK is the official TypeScript toolkit for AI apps -- built by Vercel with 23,309 GitHub stars. It delivers a unified API across 20+ providers and frameworks like Next.js.
What Vercel AI SDK does:
- •Unified provider API Call generateText or streamText with models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google via one interface.
- •Structured outputs Validate AI responses with Zod schemas for type-safe parsing.
- •ToolLoopAgent Run agent loops with tool calls in v6 release.
- •Framework UI hooks useChat and useCompletion for React, Svelte, Vue chat UIs.
- •Agent UI streaming createAgentUIStreamResponse for real-time agent interfaces.
- •Vercel AI Gateway Pass model strings like 'anthropic/claude-opus-4.6' without SDK setup.
Vercel AI SDK ecosystem:
- •Next.js integration Native hooks for Vercel's React framework.
- •AI skills system npx skills add vercel/ai for IDE coding agents.
- •Provider wrappers @ai-sdk/openai, @ai-sdk/anthropic for 20+ backends.
Getting started:
Run npm install ai. Import { generateText } from 'ai. Set provider: openai(), add apiKey. Call generateText({ model: 'gpt-4o', prompt: 'Hello' })`. Docs at ai-sdk.dev.
Limitations:
Core SDK stays free and lightweight. AI Gateway runs as paid Vercel service. Needs TypeScript setup -- no plain JS docs. ToolLoopAgent fits simple agents; complex chains favor LangChain. Framework hooks lack React Native support yet.
Our Verdict
Developers building multi-provider AI features will find Vercel AI SDK the fastest path from prototype to production in 2026. The useChat hook and generateText API abstract away provider differences -- write once, switch between OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google without changing application code.
Vibe Builders shipping their first SaaS with AI features should pair Vercel AI SDK with Next.js. The React hooks handle streaming, tool calling, and structured outputs with minimal setup. No need to learn each provider's API -- one npm install ai and you're building.
For Developers working on complex agent architectures, the v6 ToolLoopAgent class handles tool execution loops natively. The AI Gateway integration means you can route between providers by changing a model string. TypeScript-first design catches errors at compile time, not in production.
Skip if you only use one provider and want the lightest possible dependency. The official OpenAI or Anthropic SDKs are smaller when provider flexibility is not needed. Also skip if you need Python -- Vercel AI SDK is TypeScript-only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vercel AI SDK?
Vercel AI SDK is a unified TypeScript API for building AI apps across providers. Built by Vercel, v6.0.153 boasts 23,309 GitHub stars. It supports generateText, streamText, and ToolLoopAgent functions. Zod-structured outputs ensure type safety -- use the useChat hook in Next.js for dynamic chat UIs. It surpasses raw SDKs in flexibility and speed.
Is Vercel AI SDK free and open source?
Yes, Vercel AI SDK is free and open source under the Apache-2.0 license. The core toolkit remains free forever with no SDK usage costs. Install via `npm install ai`. AI Gateway offers optional paid model routing. Source code at github.com/vercel/ai holds 23,309 stars for community contributions and transparency.
Vercel AI SDK vs LangChain?
Vercel AI SDK provides lighter TypeScript wrappers and Next.js hooks like useChat. LangChain.js offers extensive chain abstractions but is heavier at 50MB+. AI SDK excels in speed for UI agents with v6.0.153 optimizations. Choose Vercel AI SDK when building React chats, LangChain when needing Python interop or complex workflows.
How to build a chatbot with Vercel AI SDK?
Build a chatbot by installing `npm install ai @ai-sdk/openai`. In Next.js, use the `useChat` hook: `const { messages, input, handleInputChange, handleSubmit } = useChat()`. Stream responses live with generateText. Add tools like experimental_webSearchTool. Deploys directly to Vercel edge runtime. Full examples in official docs at ai-sdk.dev.
What providers does Vercel AI SDK support?
Vercel AI SDK supports 20+ providers in 2026 v6.0.153 including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, Mistral, Grok, Cohere, AWS Bedrock, and Azure OpenAI. Import `@ai-sdk/openai` and pass `openai('gpt-4o')` or use AI Gateway model strings for zero-config access. Full provider list at ai-sdk.dev/providers.
What is ai?
The 23,309-star TypeScript AI SDK from the Next.js team -- unified streaming API for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and 20+ providers. Install with npm install ai and ship chatbots, agents, and structured AI outputs to production with React hooks like useChat.
How do I install ai?
Visit the GitHub repository at https://github.com/vercel/ai for installation instructions.
What license does ai use?
ai uses the Other license.
What are alternatives to ai?
Explore related tools and alternatives on My AI Guide.
Open source & community-verified
Other licensed: free to use in any project, no strings attached. 24,211 developers have starred this, meaning the community has reviewed and trusted it.
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