Google Gemini has the worst LLM API

Re:Google Gemini has the worst LLM API by tzury on Saturday May 03, 2025 @09:46PM (#43883824)

Vertex by example:

    creds = service_account.Credentials.from_service_account_file(
        SA_FILE,
        scopes=[
            "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/cloud-platform",
            "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/generative-language",
        ]
    )


    google.genai.Client(
        vertexai=True,
        project=PROJECT_ID,
        location=LOCATION,
        http_options={"api_version": "v1beta1"},
        credentials=sa_creds,
    )

That `vertexai=True` does the trick - you can use same code without this option, and you will not be using "Vertex".

Also, note, with Vertex, I am providing service account rather than API key, which should improve security and performance.

For me, the main aspect of "using Vertex", as in this example is the fact Start AI Cloud Credit ($350K) are only useable under Vertex. That is, one must use this platform to benefit from this generous credit.

Feels like the "Anthos" days for me, when Google now pushing their Enterprise Grade ML Ops platform, but all in all I am grateful for their generosity and the great Gemini model.

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Re:Google Gemini has the worst LLM API by ivanvanderbyl on Sunday May 04, 2025 @12:08AM (#43884411)

Service account file vs API Key have similar security risks if provided the way you are using them. Google recommends using ADC and it’s actually an org policy recommendation to disable SA files.

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Re:Google Gemini has the worst LLM API by wanderer2323 on Sunday May 04, 2025 @12:57AM (#43884590)

ADC (Application Default Credentials) is a specification for finding credentials (1. look here 2. look there etc.) not an alternative for credentials. Using ADC one can e.g. find an SA file.

As a replacement for SA files one can have e.g. user accounts using SA impersonation, external identity providers, or run on GCP VM or GKE and use built-in identities.

(ref: https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/migrate-from-service-accou...)

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Re:Google Gemini has the worst LLM API by sitefail1 on Saturday May 03, 2025 @10:09PM (#43883937)

I don't think a service account vs an API key would improve performance in any meaningful way. I doubt the AI endpoint is authenticating the API key against a central database every request, it will most certainly be cached against a service key in the same AZ or whatever GCP call it.

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Re:Google Gemini has the worst LLM API by logankilpatrick on Sunday May 11, 2025 @03:10PM (#43956211)

The startup credits are fully compatible with AI Studio, they are not specific to Vertex.

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