OpenAI
Install
npm install @better-agent/openaiAgent model
import { defineAgent } from "@better-agent/core";
import { openai } from "@better-agent/openai";
export const supportAgent = defineAgent({
name: "support",
model: openai("gpt-5.5"),
instruction: "You help customers.",
});Configure
Use createOpenAI when you need custom provider settings.
import { createOpenAI } from "@better-agent/openai";
const openai = createOpenAI({
apiKey: process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY,
});Hosted tools
OpenAI hosted tools are available on openai.tools.
const agent = defineAgent({
name: "researcher",
model: openai("gpt-5.5"),
tools: [
openai.tools.webSearch({ searchContextSize: "medium" }),
],
});See Tools for local tools, client tools, approvals, MCP, and hosted provider tools.
Direct generation
Use generation models when a tool needs a focused model call without running an agent.
const text = openai.text("gpt-5.5");
const summarize = defineTool({
name: "summarize",
description: "Summarize long text before the agent uses it.",
inputSchema: z.object({
content: z.string(),
}),
execute: async ({ content }) => {
const result = await text.generate({
input: `Summarize this in three bullets:\n\n${content}`,
});
return { summary: result.text };
},
});Other generation helpers:
const embedding = openai.embedding("text-embedding-3-small");
const image = openai.image("gpt-image-1");
const speech = openai.speech("gpt-4o-mini-tts");
const transcription = openai.transcription("gpt-4o-mini-transcribe");Model types
openai("gpt-5.5") is an agent model for defineAgent. Agent models need text
for messages, tool decisions, and streaming. They can support more than text
depending on the model.
openai.text(...), openai.embedding(...), and the other helpers are
generation models for direct calls from app code or tools. They do not run the
agent loop.
Provider options
Pass OpenAI options at run time with the openai provider key.
await app.agent("support").run({
messages,
providerOptions: {
openai: {
reasoningEffort: "medium",
},
},
});Capabilities
| Feature | Support |
|---|---|
| Agent model | Yes |
| Text generation | Yes |
| Streaming | Yes |
| Structured output | Yes |
| Hosted tools | Yes |
| Embeddings | Yes |
| Images | Yes |
| Speech | Yes |
| Transcription | Yes |
Source: built on @ai-sdk/openai.