Generative AI Leader Practice Question: Business Strategies for Generative AI Solutions
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. ``` [ERROR] 401 Unauthorized - API key not valid. Please pass a valid API key. ```
A developer is using Vertex AI with an API key and gets the above error. What is the likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse authentication failures (401) with authorization failures (403), leading them to select 'Insufficient permissions' when the actual issue is an expired or invalid API key.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Expired API key
The error indicates that the API key used to authenticate with Vertex AI is no longer valid. API keys can expire due to a configured expiration policy or if they have been revoked in the Google Cloud Console. Since the developer is using an API key directly (rather than a service account or OAuth token), an expired key is the most direct cause of an authentication failure.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Wrong endpoint
Why it's wrong here
Wrong endpoint leads to 404 or connection errors.
- ✗
Excessive quota
Why it's wrong here
Quota exceeded gives 429 Too Many Requests or 403.
- ✓
Expired API key
Why this is correct
The error message explicitly says 'API key not valid', common when key is expired.
- ✗
Insufficient permissions
Why it's wrong here
Insufficient permissions typically result in 403 Forbidden.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This Generative AI Leader practice question is part of Courseiva's free Google Cloud certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the Generative AI Leader exam.