EP02 · Give Your Lobster a Brain
By Yuki & Claw
1 account = LLM brain + pre-installed smart skill packs ImaStudio, all-in-one
📺 Video Tutorial
Video walkthrough on configuring your API Key so your lobster can actually start thinking:
Why Does It Need a "Brain"?
In EP01 you set up the home, but your lobster still doesn't know anything — because it doesn't have a brain yet. The brain = a large language model (LLM), the thing that actually makes it talk and think.
Now let me share a shortcut: Sign up for ImaStudio — one account gets you brain + skill packs, no need to register everywhere.
🥇 Top Pick: ImaStudio All-in-One
🦞 1 Account, Everything Unlocked
Sign up for ImaStudio, grab your API Key LLM brain + smart skill suite + multimedia creation suite, all activated at once
🧠 Multi-Model Brain
One-click access to Claude, GPT-4o, Gemini, Kimi K2.5, DeepSeek, and other top-tier LLMs
🤖 Pre-installed Smart Skill Suite
Long-term memory, task tracking, deep research, context management — ready out of the box
🎨 Multimedia Creation Suite (40+ Models)
- Images: SeeDream 4.5, Midjourney, GPT Image
- Video: Wan 2.6, Kling, Sora, Veo
- Music: Suno
👉 🚀 Sign Up for ImaStudio Free
✓ No credit card required · ✓ Free credits for new users
Step 1: Sign Up and Get Your API Key
Just 3 steps — follow the screenshots:
1️⃣ Go to imastudio.com, log in, and click the avatar icon in the top right
2️⃣ A dropdown menu appears — click Settings
3️⃣ Select API Keys in the left nav, then click + New Key in the top right to generate your key
Click the copy icon to save it to your clipboard
Your API Key (example format)
ima_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
⚠️ Keep it safe — don't screenshot and share it
Step 2: Configure It in OpenClaw
Run the Onboarding Wizard
In your terminal:
~ $ openclaw onboard
? Choose your AI provider:
> ImaStudio (Recommended)
OpenAI
Anthropic
...
? Enter your IMA API key: ima_xxxxxx...
🎉 Brain configured! All skill suites unlocked.
Select ImaStudio, paste your API Key. That's it.
🎁 What You Just Unlocked
After configuring your IMA API Key, all of the following are automatically activated — no separate installation needed:
🧠 Smart Skill Suite (Essential)
Make your lobster truly understand you
- ✓ Long-term memory — remembers your preferences and projects across conversations
- ✓ Task tracking — automatically manages TODOs, nothing slips through
- ✓ Deep research — autonomous web search + report generation
- ✓ Context management — stays focused in long conversations
- ✓ Project memory — handles multiple projects in parallel without mixing them up
🎨 Multimedia Creation Suite
40+ AI models, just say the word and start creating
- ✓ SeeDream 4.5 / Midjourney — image generation
- ✓ Wan 2.6 / Kling 2.1 — video generation
- ✓ Sora / Google Veo 3 — top-tier video
- ✓ Suno — AI music creation
- ✓ Unified credit management — no need to top up everywhere
Step 3: Give It a Test
Try It in Feishu/Lark
(See EP04 for Feishu/Lark setup). If you already have Feishu/Lark connected, send this message:
You: Hey, what can you do now?
🦞: Hi! Here's what I can do:
🧠 Remember what we've talked about
🎨 Generate images for you (SeeDream/Midjourney)
🎬 Create videos for you (Wan/Kling/Sora)
🔬 Do deep research on any topic
📋 Track your tasks and to-dos...
💥 Getting "Invalid API Key"?
Possible cause: Extra spaces when copying the key, or account verification not completed
Fix: Go back to your imastudio.com account page, re-copy the key, and make sure there are no extra spaces
Alternative Options (If You Already Have Accounts)
If you already have an API Key from another platform, you can use that too:
| Platform | Highlights | Where to Get It |
|---|---|---|
| ImaStudio ⭐ Top Pick | Brain + skill packs all-in-one, simplest setup | imastudio.com |
| Kimi (Moonshot) | Chinese-made, 2M-character ultra-long context | platform.moonshot.cn |
| Claude (Anthropic) | Strongest reasoning, top-tier coding | console.anthropic.com |
| GPT (OpenAI) | Strong all-around, largest ecosystem | platform.openai.com |
| Gemini (Google) | Generous free tier, ultra-long context | aistudio.google.com |
Don't Have a Lobster Yet?
No installation needed · Sign up for an ImaStudio account and start using it right away
📌 Key Takeaways
- Brain = large language model, turning your lobster from an "empty shell" into a "thinking being"
- Top pick — ImaStudio: 1 account unlocks brain + smart skill suite + multimedia creation suite, easiest setup
- Configuration command:
openclaw onboard, select ImaStudio, paste in your API Key - Alternatives: Kimi (Moonshot), Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google)
Next up: EP04: Connect to Feishu/Lark
Brain installed — next step is connecting your lobster to Feishu/Lark so it can reply to your messages and get things done for you.
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