An AI gateway, much like an API gateway, allows teams to consolidate multiple AI-based services behind a single endpoint. When a client triggers an AI feature (such as a ChatGPT query or a chatbot request) and makes an associated API call, this gateway routes their request to the correct backend service.
AI gateway functionality is typically integrated into load balancers or installed on servers in front of your APIs. Because of this, AI gateways can leverage load balancing algorithms, web application firewalls (WAFs), rate limiting, or other features that enable secure-and-efficient traffic distribution. An AI gateway will use information from each request to make traffic decisions related to AI usage—such as rate limiting using token counts—versus IP addresses.
AI gateways therefore help organizations manage, accelerate, simplify, scale, and secure their AI applications. This is essential across a tech landscape where API usage and AI usage continue to explode in popularity. Many organizations have noticed that AI applications have deliverability concerns just like conventional applications, with some unique challenges that influence setup and management.
How does an AI gateway work?
We've touched on the routing so central to AI gateway functionality, and highlighted some similarities with API gateways. While both function quite similarly, some important differences exist around rate limiting.
While AI gateways also need rate limiting, imposed limits should be based on the API key and tokens used rather than on the request rates per IP address. This provides greater control than conventional rate limiting, since the API key and token counts are specific to a given client, whereas IP addresses don’t always represent just one client. Other needs such as data loss prevention, API key management, retry support, and caching are largely the same (yet implemented a little differently).
Otherwise, AI gateways can support the following features and more:
Customizable routing
Easier service discovery
Bot management and response policies
Logging and monitoring
Does HAProxy support AI gateway functionality?
Yes! HAProxy Enterprise can function as an AI gateway and enables organizations to load balance traffic across their AI applications. HAProxy Enterprise offers scalability, security, and lightning-fast performance to keep services running at their best. To learn more, check out our API Gateway solution page (which largely mirrors AI gateway) or our guide to creating an AI gateway using HAProxy Enterprise.
