diff --git a/examples/ai-chat/README.md b/examples/ai-chat/README.md
index 1bf019f723b8..d3dbe15f1e34 100644
--- a/examples/ai-chat/README.md
+++ b/examples/ai-chat/README.md
@@ -6,13 +6,31 @@ completion. No OpenClaw application code is involved — inside this repo the
 workspace link resolves to the package's built `dist`, the same artifact npm
 consumers install, so `pnpm build` must have run first.
 
+Choose a provider and replace its placeholder with a real API key.
+
+POSIX shell commands (the Ollama command also works in PowerShell):
+
 ```sh
-ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-... node index.mjs "Say hello"
-OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-... node index.mjs --provider openai "Say hello"
+ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=example-anthropic-key-not-real node index.mjs "Say hello"
+OPENAI_API_KEY=example-openai-key-not-real node index.mjs --provider openai "Say hello"
 # keyless, against a local Ollama server (OLLAMA_MODEL overrides the model id)
 node index.mjs --provider ollama "Say hello"
 ```
 
+PowerShell (assignments remain in this session until removed or the shell closes):
+
+```powershell
+$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY = "example-anthropic-key-not-real"
+node index.mjs "Say hello"
+
+$env:OPENAI_API_KEY = "example-openai-key-not-real"
+node index.mjs --provider openai "Say hello"
+
+# Clear the session-scoped keys.
+$env:ANTHROPIC_API_KEY = $null
+$env:OPENAI_API_KEY = $null
+```
+
 Text deltas stream to stdout; stop reason and token usage go to stderr.
 
 Notes for library consumers:
diff --git a/examples/ai-chat/index.mjs b/examples/ai-chat/index.mjs
index 08267ef89c51..312309f6e50b 100644
--- a/examples/ai-chat/index.mjs
+++ b/examples/ai-chat/index.mjs
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 // Minimal @openclaw/ai consumer: one isolated runtime, built-in providers,
 // one streamed completion. Uses only the public package surface — no OpenClaw
-// application code. Run with:
-//   ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=... node index.mjs "your prompt"
-//   OPENAI_API_KEY=... node index.mjs --provider openai "your prompt"
+// application code. See README.md for build prerequisites and run commands.
 import { createLlmRuntime } from "@openclaw/ai";
 import { registerBuiltInApiProviders } from "@openclaw/ai/providers";