Smart Router · Automation

n8n with the AI Stupid Level Smart Router

The n8n-nodes-aistupidlevel community node adds an AI Stupid Level node for chat, routing and benchmark data, and an AI Stupid Level Chat Model that plugs into the AI Agent, so every call, tool turns included, goes through the router.

Get a free router key

1,000 routed requests a month free · your own provider keys · no card

Part of Smart Router integrations · About the Smart Router · Help centre

n8nSettings
Install (self-hosted n8n):
  Settings → Community Nodes → Install → n8n-nodes-aistupidlevel

Credentials:
  AI Stupid Level Router API   router key (aism_…)      chat and routing
  AI Stupid Level Data API     Data API key (asl_live_…) rankings, drift, incidents

01

What n8n gets from the Smart Router

The n8n-nodes-aistupidlevel community node adds an AI Stupid Level node for chat, routing and benchmark data, and an AI Stupid Level Chat Model that plugs into the AI Agent, so every call, tool turns included, goes through the router.

Routing on benchmark results
A routing mode as the model name sends each request to the model placing highest on the relevant board — coding, reasoning or tool use — ranked on the average of its last five benchmark runs, never a single run. Statistically tied leaders are split by your tie-break preference, the cheaper measured cost per task by default. Drift-aware routing moves a model whose drift detector has fired for that skill behind every unflagged model.
Your own provider keys
You pay OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek, Moonshot AI (Kimi) or Z.ai (GLM) directly for tokens. Provider keys are encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM) and never shown again.
No token markup
The router adds nothing to token prices. Free includes 1,000 routed requests a month, and only successful requests count.
The model that answered, every time
Every response carries X-AISM-Model and X-AISM-Reasoning: which model answered and why, including any fallback. If the chosen model fails before answering, the router tries your own fallback order, then up to 2 automatic fallbacks from different providers.

02

How to set up n8n with the Smart Router

Every value below is the one in the router documentation; paste it as shown.

  1. Create a router key

    Go to API keys, click Create key and copy it somewhere safe. The key starts with aism_ and is the one key for every tool you connect.

  2. Add your provider keys

    Under Providers, add keys for OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, DeepSeek, Kimi or GLM. The more providers you add, the better the routing. You pay them directly for tokens; the router adds nothing to token prices, and provider keys are encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM) and never shown again.

  3. Install the community node

    On a self-hosted n8n: Settings → Community Nodes → Install → n8n-nodes-aistupidlevel.

    n8nSettings
    Install (self-hosted n8n):
      Settings → Community Nodes → Install → n8n-nodes-aistupidlevel
  4. Add the credentials

    Two credentials: AI Stupid Level Router API takes your router key (aism_…) for chat and routing; AI Stupid Level Data API takes a Data API key (asl_live_…) from Data API keys for rankings, drift and incidents.

    CredentialsSettings
    AI Stupid Level Router API   router key (aism_…)      chat and routing
    AI Stupid Level Data API     Data API key (asl_live_…) rankings, drift, incidents
  5. Use the nodes

    The AI Stupid Level node has Chat, Router (preview, usage) and Benchmark data operations. The AI Stupid Level Chat Model plugs into an AI Agent or LLM chain; every call, tool turns included, goes through the router.

    NodesSettings
    AI Stupid Level              Chat · Router (preview, usage) · Benchmark data
    AI Stupid Level Chat Model   plug into an AI Agent or LLM chain; every call,
                                 tool turns included, goes through the router

03

Which routing mode should n8n use?

A routing mode goes where the tool asks for a model name. The quality modes read the same scores the leaderboard shows; the value modes choose among models within 5 points of the best and take the lowest measured cost per run. Every mode is described in the Virtual models section of the docs.

auto-tooling
Tool use. Best at calling tools correctly — scored on our tool-calling suite.Top of the Tool use board in the last 24 hours: DeepSeek V4 Pro, in a statistical tie for first place, of 22 ranked models.
auto-best
Overall. Best combined score regardless of category; among statistically tied leaders, your tie-break decides (the cheaper by default).Top of the Combined board in the last 24 hours: DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, in a statistical tie for first place, of 22 ranked models.
auto-value
Value. Most combined-score points per measured dollar, among models within 5 points of the best one you can use.

24-hour boards as of 26 Oct 2026, 10:51 UTC · places follow the leaderboard’s statistical ties · the full leaderboard

Any real model id from GET /v1/models pins that model and bypasses routing; your plan allowance and key budgets still apply. Unknown auto-* names get a 400 model_not_found that lists the valid ones.

04

What n8n supports behind the router

  • Community nodes install on a self-hosted n8n, from Settings → Community Nodes.
  • The Chat Model sub-node sends every call through the router, tool turns included, so an AI Agent’s whole loop is routed and logged.
  • The Benchmark data operations take a Data API key (asl_live_…); chat and routing take the router key (aism_…).
  • Text only: a request with images, audio or files gets a 400 unsupported_content.

05

n8n not working with the router?

The errors a tool shows, with the fix from the docs’ error table and the help centre.

401 invalid_api_key
Missing or invalid aism_ key. Check the key is correct and not revoked, and that the tool sends it as Authorization: Bearer aism_…. If a field insists on an sk- prefix, sk-aism_… is accepted: the prefix is stripped automatically. A key that had an expiry date and passed it gets 401 expired_api_key, and the message says when.
400 model_not_found
An unknown auto-* name is a 400 that lists the valid routing modes. For a real model id, check the spelling: direct pin routing infers the provider from the model name prefix, and GET /v1/models lists every id you can use.
No models in the dropdown
The tool fills its list from GET /v1/models, which requires a valid aism_ key. Check that the key and the base URL https://aistupidlevel.info/v1 are both in place.
400 provider_key_rejected or no_provider_keys
Your provider key is missing or was refused. Add or update it under Providers, re-check it on the provider’s dashboard, and make sure it has active credits and the right permissions.
Streaming
Set stream: true. Text arrives as the model writes it (X-AISM-Streaming-Mode: native); tool calls arrive in one chunk each once the model has finished them, then the finish reason, then usage if you set stream_options.include_usage. If the chosen model fails before sending anything, or its provider sends nothing for 120 seconds, the next fallback is tried.
400 unsupported_content
The router routes text only, on purpose: it picks a model from benchmark results for coding, reasoning and tool use, and none of those measure image, audio or file understanding. Send such requests to the provider directly.
429 allowance_exhausted
This month’s requests are used up and you have no prepaid credits. Credits top up the allowance; moving up a plan is the cheaper way to buy regular volume.

06

Questions about n8n and the Smart Router

Does the AI Agent’s tool calling go through the router?

Yes. The AI Stupid Level Chat Model plugs into an AI Agent or LLM chain, and every call, tool turns included, goes through the router. auto-tooling picks the model best at calling tools correctly, scored on the tool-calling suite.

Which credential do I need?

For chat and routing, the AI Stupid Level Router API credential with your aism_ key. For rankings, drift and incidents, the AI Stupid Level Data API credential with a Data API key (asl_live_…) from Data API keys. A Free account has both.

Does this cost extra?

No. You pay the providers directly for tokens, with your own keys; the router adds nothing to token prices. The Free plan includes 1,000 routed requests a month (Pro Intelligence 10,000, Developer 100,000, Teams 1,000,000), and prepaid credits cover any beyond that at $5 per 10,000. Only successful requests count. No card for the Free plan.

Can a workflow read the leaderboard?

Yes. The AI Stupid Level node’s Benchmark data operations return rankings, drift and incidents through the Data API, so a workflow can react to a change on the boards, and its Router operations preview a routing decision or read your usage without sending a chat request.

Which routing mode for an AI Agent?

auto-tooling for agents that call tools, auto-best for general chains (the best combined score, with your tie-break among statistically tied leaders), and auto-value for the most combined-score points per measured dollar among near-top models.

07

Other tools that work with the Smart Router

Every tool takes the same base URL and key. The integrations hub lists them all; the docs add samples for frameworks and SDKs.

Connect n8n in a few minutes

A free account gives you a router key, the Providers page for your own keys, and the request allowance. No card.

Get a free router key

1,000 routed requests a month free · your own provider keys · no card