The world is awash in data and all you need to do is ask for it. Of course, you also need to ask in the right way, and in the world of software development, that means using an API. Given the right combination of XML and JSON, there are thousands of APIs ready, willing, and able to answer your queries.
This article showcases some of the most interesting and relevant APIs we could find, especially ones that support integration with AI technology. Surely, one of these has a place in your stack.
Zapier’s natural language actions
In the old days, most APIs were complex enough to come with an instruction manual. Now, Zapier AI Actions adds AI to the mix, so users can request API actions using “natural language.” The AI translates human language so you don’t need to fuss over strict syntax rules when asking for what you want. Is it more flexible? Yes. Could it produce something unexpected? We’ll soon find out. Tossing aside the rigid format of REST semantics has its perks. We’ll probably see more APIs integrating natural language processing in the future.
Seam: An API for IoT
Most APIs are used to manipulate data. The Seam API is a universal system for controlling a matrix of devices, a.k.a., the Internet of Things. Seam lets you control hundreds of devices from one central application, simplifying the process of building an intelligent home or office. It’s expanding the range of applications from the virtual Internet into the actual world.
Hugging Face Transformers API
Do you need to train an AI model? There’s no need to start from scratch. Hugging Face’s Transformers API makes it relatively easy to fire up PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX and access dozens of foundation models. Your data is melded with the models’ vast training sets, and you can use formats like ONNX or TorchScript to export the results and run them anywhere.
HumanLayer: Connecting AI agents to humans
Normally, APIs connect computers to other computers on behalf of humans. HumanLayer inverts this paradigm with an API framework that allows computers to contact humans. The idea is that AI agents can handle most issues that come up when performing requested operations. But there will always be cases that require the input of a thoughtful bundle of cells in meatspace. HumanLayer provides the structure and integration format for AIs to seek human contact when they need it.
Bluesky Firehose API
By nature, social media postings are public, but not all sites make it easy to download them. Bluesky’s Firehose API is already being used for hacking projects like AI training. Do you want to use social media posts to analyze public sentiment about a particular topic? Or maybe track the flow of certain ideas or memes? It’s all there, waiting for you to tap into.
OpenAI Batch API
Not every computing job needs to be done immediately; some can be postponed for seconds, minutes, or even hours. Now OpenAI is offering a way to save money by batching workloads that can wait. The OpenAI Batch API claims it could lower your costs by as much as 50 percent. If you’ve been spending too much on AI workloads, Batch API could save you money.
Firecrawl
Some people like writing out their documents in Markdown and using templates to automatically transform those documents into displayable HTML. The Markdown is stored in README.md files that mostly just gather dust. But what if those files were still useful? Firecrawl scrapes a web page and transforms the HTML back into Markdown, a format that’s much easier for data analysis and LLM training. See how that works?
Signature API
Some workflows require a bit of authentication and certification. Did Hal really sign off on that expense? Signature API appends legally binding digital signatures at specific moments in the workflow, so your team has an authenticated third-party timestamp for the moment the button was pressed. As web applications absorb more of the workload, Signature API is the kind of reasonably priced tool that helps us ensure real accountability.
Bruno
There are two sides to every API transaction, and Bruno lets you simulate the client side while testing. Ideally, every bit of documentation would be clear and concise, but when the text isn’t so illuminating, Bruno lets you watch the data flow. Sometimes, just seeing the parameters and the API response answers more questions than the best documentation. Bruno is not so much an API as a tool for exploring other APIs.
