www.lesswrong.com/posts/iMw7qhtZGNFxMRD4H/open-sourcing-a-browser-extension-that...

The post claims that without an OpenAI API key, OpenErrata “doesn't start new investigations.”

However, the project’s own README contradicts this in two ways:

1. It states that investigations can be initiated not only by a user clicking “Investigate Now” or enabling auto-investigate, but also when “the service pre-selects” a post (i.e., the backend can decide to investigate posts independently of any single user providing a key). (github.com)

2. More directly, the README says the public instance is configured to “investigate the most popular posts every hour.” That is explicitly starting new investigations on a schedule, and it’s described in the same section explaining behavior when you “do not have an OpenAI API key.” (github.com)

So, while it may be true that a user without a key can’t generate errata on demand, the blanket claim that the system/extension “doesn't start new investigations” (in that no-key case) is inaccurate and misleading given the documented hourly investigations by the public instance.