---
title: "Moonshot API | Ethical Stack"
url: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/
catalog_version: f6baff2119d0e9158520da7fbe4232011dac79f25bd08757436d7a1dbd593db2
---

# Moonshot API

Developer API platform for calling Kimi models through chat-completions, responses, or messages interfaces.

Canonical profile: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/

Scope: Moonshot API service and selected model endpoint; no inference-region or model-specific corpus assumptions.

Published overall: 3.4; 5/6 dimensions rated.

Round the equal-weight mean of available numerical ratings to one decimal; require at least four of six for an overall score. BDS status stays outside the mean; for eligible profiles, a boycott target caps the final score at 2/10 and a pressure target subtracts one point (minimum 1). Not listed and not checked do not adjust the score.

## Energy practices

Finding: 3/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/#energy

For the Moonshot API chat-completions endpoint boundary, public documentation establishes the service or route but not its request-level physical footprint. The API documents model selection and a maximum completion-token parameter; these cap/configure requested output, but no measured physical savings are reported. Electricity sourcing is not mapped to this route.

Reason: 1 + 1 reporting + 0 electricity + 1 controls = 3/10. This grades documented practices and transparency.

Argument: This practices/transparency assessment covers the Moonshot API chat-completions endpoint boundary. The sources establish how the service or endpoint is exposed and provide the request controls described in the demand component; they do not give a measured per-request energy, emissions or water value. The disclosure point reflects the stated operating boundary, not a product footprint, and company-wide electricity reporting is not attributed to this route.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Moonshot API service and selected model endpoint; no inference-region or model-specific corpus assumptions.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: The reviewed sources do not establish request-level electricity, emissions or water; the actual serving facility and its power mix are also not mapped to Moonshot API chat-completions endpoint.

```json
{
  "method": "practices-transparency-v1",
  "scope": "Moonshot API service and selected model endpoint; no inference-region or model-specific corpus assumptions.",
  "components": {
    "disclosure": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "The reviewed documentation defines the Moonshot API chat-completions endpoint boundary. It gives an operating-scope description, not a dated quantitative energy, carbon or water report for this route.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://platform.kimi.ai/docs",
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/kimi-openplatform-privacy-policy",
        "https://platform.kimi.ai/docs/api/chat"
      ]
    },
    "electricity": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No reviewed source maps Moonshot API chat-completions endpoint to a disclosed electricity mix or time-and-location-matched clean-power supply. The route's actual electricity use and emissions therefore remain unestablished.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://platform.kimi.ai/docs",
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/kimi-openplatform-privacy-policy",
        "https://platform.kimi.ai/docs/api/chat"
      ]
    },
    "demand": {
      "score": 1,
      "reason": "The API documents model selection and a maximum completion-token parameter; these cap/configure requested output, but no measured physical savings are reported.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://platform.kimi.ai/docs",
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/kimi-openplatform-privacy-policy",
        "https://platform.kimi.ai/docs/api/chat"
      ]
    }
  },
  "actualImpactMeasured": false
}
```

- [Kimi API Platform quickstart](https://platform.kimi.ai/docs) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [Kimi OpenPlatform Privacy Policy](https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/kimi-openplatform-privacy-policy) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [Chat Completions API: model and completion token controls](https://platform.kimi.ai/docs/api/chat) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Training data

Finding: Depends on the model

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/#training-rights

The API is model-selectable. Prompt-use terms and corpus rights are distinct; use the model/version and any third-party route selected by the customer.

Reason: The API is model-selectable. Prompt-use terms and corpus rights are distinct; use the model/version and any third-party route selected by the customer.

Argument: User prompts, model-improvement settings, and the original training corpus are different evidence questions. The reviewed product documentation does not identify a fixed model version and complete corpus-rights record for Moonshot API service and selected model endpoint; no inference-region or model-specific corpus assumptions., so this assessment remains unscored.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Moonshot API service and selected model endpoint; no inference-region or model-specific corpus assumptions.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Exact model selection, release version, source inventory, permissions, post-training data, and creator-remedy scope remain unresolved.

```json
{
  "method": "training-rights-evidence-v1",
  "scope": "The stated training release or selected model",
  "components": null,
  "routeDependency": "The API is model-selectable. Prompt-use terms and corpus rights are distinct; use the model/version and any third-party route selected by the customer.",
  "modelReference": null
}
```

- [Kimi OpenPlatform Privacy Policy](https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/kimi-openplatform-privacy-policy) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [Kimi API Platform quickstart](https://platform.kimi.ai/docs) (primary; checked not recorded)

## Your data & privacy

Finding: 4/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/#privacy

OpenPlatform policy covers API service content, permits use to improve the service, describes Singapore storage, and retains account/input information while the account is active; it does not give a precise API request-retention period.

Reason: Service-improvement use and active-account retention are disclosed, and Singapore storage is described, but the exact API endpoint and deletion timing remain unclear.

Argument: The API is a separate business/developer service governed by OpenPlatform terms and privacy policy. Those sources say content may be used to develop or improve the service, describe Singapore storage, and state account/input data is retained while the account is active; no precise endpoint-specific deletion window is specified.

Type: argument; confidence: low

Scope (profile): Moonshot API service and selected model endpoint; no inference-region or model-specific corpus assumptions.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Current model-specific data controls, API logging, retention windows, region selection, and account opt-in settings remain uncertain.

- [Kimi OpenPlatform Privacy Policy](https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/kimi-openplatform-privacy-policy) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [Kimi OpenPlatform Terms of Service](https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Openness

Finding: 2/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/#openness

This is a hosted service with a public interface but no documented self-hostable product runtime or weights in the reviewed sources.

Reason: The score reflects service-level inspectability and control, not usefulness or model quality.

Argument: The service provides a hosted product or API interface, while the reviewed product material does not expose the serving implementation and current model weights for independent deployment. This rates this service scope, not separately released model weights.

Type: argument; confidence: medium

Scope (profile): Moonshot API service and selected model endpoint; no inference-region or model-specific corpus assumptions.

Research reviewed: not recorded; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: SDKs, APIs, or model families may have separate licenses and do not make this service itself self-hostable.

- [Kimi API Platform quickstart](https://platform.kimi.ai/docs) (primary; checked not recorded)

- [Kimi OpenPlatform Privacy Policy](https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/kimi-openplatform-privacy-policy) (primary; checked not recorded)

## Worker protections

Finding: 1/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/#labour

Moonshot’s reviewed Kimi terms, company site and model pages do not disclose workforce conditions, labor grievance mechanisms or supplier audit outcomes.

Reason: 1 + 0 pay & conditions + 0 worker voice & remedy + 0 evidence & follow-through = 1/10. This grades documented worker safeguards, not a measured rate of mistreatment.

Argument: The sources reviewed provide product, terms, or corporate information but no qualifying disclosure about conditions for data annotators, evaluators, moderators, or infrastructure workers. This is a disclosure gap within the checked materials, not evidence that workers are mistreated or that no labor policy exists. This entry carries the same developer/operator finding to Moonshot API; it does not establish that this product was deployed under every cited relationship.

Type: argument; confidence: low

Scope (dimension): Moonshot AI Pte. Ltd.: the documented developer/operator record, not proof of deployment of Moonshot API.

Research reviewed: 2026-10-24; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Worker counts, locations, pay, labor protections, worker voice mechanisms, supplier coverage, and independent audit or remediation outcomes were not established in the sources reviewed.

```json
{
  "method": "worker-safeguards-evidence-v1",
  "entity": "moonshot",
  "company": "Moonshot AI / Kimi",
  "scope": "Moonshot AI / Kimi's workforce and disclosed contractors. Coverage of individual product teams may be incomplete.",
  "components": {
    "conditions": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "Reviewed sources provide no qualifying disclosure of worker conditions; this zero is limited to the checked material and is not an exhaustive claim.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform",
        "https://www.moonshot.ai/en",
        "https://huggingface.co/moonshotai"
      ]
    },
    "voice": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No qualifying worker-voice mechanism or documented worker grievance outcomes were disclosed in the reviewed material.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform",
        "https://www.moonshot.ai/en",
        "https://huggingface.co/moonshotai"
      ]
    },
    "assurance": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No independent labor audit results, worker-level corroboration, or remediation outcomes were disclosed in the reviewed material.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform",
        "https://www.moonshot.ai/en",
        "https://huggingface.co/moonshotai"
      ]
    }
  },
  "disclosureLimited": true,
  "meaning": "This grades documented worker safeguards, not a measured rate of mistreatment."
}
```

- [Kimi OpenPlatform Terms of Service](https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Moonshot AI company and Kimi overview](https://www.moonshot.ai/en) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Moonshot AI model releases](https://huggingface.co/moonshotai) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## Military ties

Finding: 7/10

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/#military-contracts

No Moonshot defense contract or military deployment is identified in the reviewed company and model sources.

Reason: 7 base + 0 safeguard adjustment = 7/10 (0 of 9 safeguard points; every 3 adds 1). No military relationship was established in the cited sources. This ranks above known defense ties without claiming a verified clean record.

Argument: Moonshot’s reviewed Kimi terms, company disclosures and model repository do not name a defense customer, contract or deployment. Third-party availability of its models does not establish Moonshot’s own military relationship; the public material reviewed does not supply a customer-complete accounting. This entry carries the same developer/operator finding to Moonshot API; it does not establish that this product was deployed under every cited relationship.

Type: argument; confidence: low

Scope (dimension): Moonshot AI Pte. Ltd.: the documented developer/operator record, not proof of deployment of Moonshot API.

Research reviewed: 2026-10-24; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: Complete contract texts, undisclosed customers, end-use restrictions, actual workload deployment, and independent compliance or outcome reports are unavailable in the reviewed public material.

```json
{
  "method": "military-ties-priority-v2",
  "entity": "moonshot",
  "company": "Moonshot AI / Kimi",
  "scope": "Moonshot AI / Kimi's relationships and safeguards. A company relationship does not identify every product or release used.",
  "components": {
    "restrictions": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "The reviewed terms or policy material contains no qualifying military-use restriction beyond general lawfulness/export compliance; this zero is limited to the reviewed source set.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform",
        "https://www.moonshot.ai/en",
        "https://huggingface.co/moonshotai"
      ]
    },
    "oversight": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No military-specific review, enforcement, or remedy mechanism was disclosed in the sources reviewed.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform",
        "https://www.moonshot.ai/en",
        "https://huggingface.co/moonshotai"
      ]
    },
    "transparency": {
      "score": 0,
      "reason": "No military-specific relationship or military-specific transparency policy was disclosed in the materials reviewed; this is a scoped disclosure finding.",
      "sourceUrls": [
        "https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform",
        "https://www.moonshot.ai/en",
        "https://huggingface.co/moonshotai"
      ]
    }
  },
  "relationship": "not-established",
  "relationshipReason": "The reviewed Kimi platform terms and Moonshot model materials do not identify a defense contract or military deployment. Model availability through third parties or permissive downstream deployment does not establish Moonshot’s own government or military customer relationship.",
  "score": 7,
  "baseScore": 7,
  "safeguardPoints": 0,
  "safeguardAdjustment": 0,
  "rawScore": 7,
  "cap": null,
  "disclosureLimited": true,
  "meaning": "Known military relationships take priority over missing safeguards. The rating does not establish the probability of an undisclosed contract."
}
```

- [Kimi OpenPlatform Terms of Service](https://moonshot-ai.gitbook.io/moonshot-ai/terms-and-agreement/terms-of-service-for-kimi-openplatform) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Moonshot AI company and Kimi overview](https://www.moonshot.ai/en) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

- [Moonshot AI model releases](https://huggingface.co/moonshotai) (primary; checked 2026-10-24)

## BDS targets

Finding: Not listed

Assessment: https://ethicalstack.ai/providers/moonshot-api/#israel-palestine

We did not find Moonshot AI among the named targets in the two official BNC campaign lists checked on 2026-10-23. This is a limited list check, not BDS approval.

Reason: BDS campaign status is a factual category, not a 1–10 ethical rating.

Argument: Moonshot AI is not a named target in the checked lists, but BDS uses selective campaigns, so absence cannot establish a clean record. Running downloaded weights locally is a different decision from paying the developer or a cloud host; check the host as well. This entry carries the same developer/operator finding to Moonshot API; it does not establish that this product was deployed under every cited relationship.

Type: evidence; confidence: medium

Scope (dimension): Moonshot AI Pte. Ltd.: the documented developer/operator record, not proof of deployment of Moonshot API.

Research reviewed: 2026-10-23; evidence date: not recorded

Unknowns: This review covers the named targets in the BNC consumer/pressure guide and No Tech campaign, not every BDS campaign, local group, investment or supplier. Lists and ownership can change. A company’s absence from these lists is not an endorsement or proof that it has no relevant relationships.

- [BNC: live guide to consumer boycott and pressure targets](https://bdsmovement.net/Guide-to-BDS-Boycott) (campaign; checked 2026-10-23)

- [BNC: No Tech for Oppression, Apartheid or Genocide campaign](https://bdsmovement.net/no-tech-oppression-apartheid-or-genocide) (campaign; checked 2026-10-23)

## Reading the evidence

- Assessments are provisional editorial judgments. Cite the profile and the underlying sources, and retain confidence, scope and unknowns.

- Unknown, not-applicable and model-dependent are different states. Missing evidence does not establish good or bad conduct.

- Company-level evidence does not establish use of a particular product or model. Account plan, model, host and route can change an assessment.

- Energy scores describe documented practices and transparency, not measured request emissions. Zero component points can mean an evidence gap.

- Published overall scores require at least four of six numerical dimensions. Preserve coverage and BDS adjustments; BDS itself is categorical.

- No named BDS target found is limited to the reviewed campaign sources and is not approval. Personalized priorities do not change the published overall score.

- Review and source-check dates describe the research, not this deployment. Fetch current primary sources when the decision requires current verification.

Methodology: https://ethicalstack.ai/methodology/