Definition
An AI gateway is a secure intermediary layer between an organization's users and external AI services (such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini) that provides centralized access control, data protection, cost management, and usage monitoring.
// How an AI Gateway Works
What Does an AI Gateway Do?
An AI gateway sits between your employees and AI services, acting as a control point for all AI interactions. Every time someone on your team sends a query to ChatGPT, Claude, or any other AI service, it passes through the gateway first.
The gateway performs several critical functions:
- Data Protection: Scans outgoing queries for sensitive information (SSNs, credit cards, emails, custom patterns) and blocks them before they reach AI providers
- Access Control: Manages which users can access which AI models, with role-based permissions
- Cost Management: Tracks usage and costs per user, per team, and per AI model in real time
- Usage Monitoring: Provides complete audit logs of all AI interactions for compliance and analysis
- Multi-Provider Access: Routes requests to the appropriate AI provider while presenting a unified interface to users
Why Do Businesses Need an AI Gateway?
Without an AI gateway, organizations face significant challenges when employees use AI tools:
The Problem: Shadow AI
When there's no official AI solution, employees create personal accounts with ChatGPT, Claude, and other services. This "shadow AI" creates serious risks:
- Sensitive company data flows into AI systems without oversight
- No visibility into what information is being shared externally
- Hidden costs across dozens of individual subscriptions
- No audit trail when something goes wrong
- Potential compliance violations with regulations like HIPAA or SOC 2
The Solution: Centralized Control
An AI gateway gives employees the AI access they need while maintaining organizational control. Instead of fighting shadow AI, you provide a better alternative that's both more capable (access to multiple AI models) and more secure (pre-query filtering, audit logs).
Key Benefits of an AI Gateway
Pre-Query Data Filtering
Automatically detect and block sensitive information before it leaves your network. Catch SSNs, credit cards, and custom patterns.
Multi-Model Access
Give your team access to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and more through one interface. Choose the best model for each task.
Cost Visibility
See exactly what you're spending on AI, broken down by user, team, and model. Set budgets and receive alerts.
Compliance Ready
Maintain complete audit logs of all AI interactions. Demonstrate control for SOC 2, HIPAA, and other requirements.
AI Gateway vs Enterprise AI Subscriptions
Some companies consider enterprise subscriptions like ChatGPT Enterprise or Claude for Business instead of an AI gateway. Here's how they compare:
Enterprise AI Subscriptions
- Single vendor: locked into one AI provider's models
- Data protection after data enters their systems
- Contact sales for pricing
- Enterprise deployment timelines (weeks to months)
AI Gateways (like TrustML)
- Multi-vendor: access all major AI providers through one interface
- Pre-query filtering catches sensitive data before it leaves your network
- Transparent, public pricing
- Setup in minutes, not weeks
- No vendor lock-in
How to Choose an AI Gateway
When evaluating AI gateway solutions, consider these factors:
- AI Provider Coverage: Does it support all the AI models your team needs?
- Data Protection Features: Does it offer pre-query filtering with custom pattern support?
- Pricing Model: Is pricing transparent? Are there hidden costs?
- Setup Time: Can you be up and running quickly, or is it a months-long project?
- Admin Controls: Can you set role-based access, spending limits, and usage policies?
- Audit Capabilities: Are comprehensive logs available for compliance?
Try TrustML's AI Gateway Free
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