diff --git a/chatmastermind/ai_factory.py b/chatmastermind/ai_factory.py
index bc4583c..420b287 100644
--- a/chatmastermind/ai_factory.py
+++ b/chatmastermind/ai_factory.py
@@ -4,25 +4,31 @@ Creates different AI instances, based on the given configuration.
 
 import argparse
 from typing import cast
-from .configuration import Config, OpenAIConfig, default_ai_ID
+from .configuration import Config, AIConfig, OpenAIConfig
 from .ai import AI, AIError
 from .ais.openai import OpenAI
 
 
-def create_ai(args: argparse.Namespace, config: Config) -> AI:
+def create_ai(args: argparse.Namespace, config: Config) -> AI:  # noqa: 11
     """
     Creates an AI subclass instance from the given arguments
-    and configuration file.
+    and configuration file. If AI has not been set in the
+    arguments, it searches for the ID 'default'. If that
+    is not found, it uses the first AI in the list.
     """
+    ai_conf: AIConfig
     if args.AI:
         try:
             ai_conf = config.ais[args.AI]
         except KeyError:
             raise AIError(f"AI ID '{args.AI}' does not exist in this configuration")
-    elif default_ai_ID in config.ais:
-        ai_conf = config.ais[default_ai_ID]
+    elif 'default' in config.ais:
+        ai_conf = config.ais['default']
     else:
-        raise AIError("No AI name given and no default exists")
+        try:
+            ai_conf = next(iter(config.ais.values()))
+        except StopIteration:
+            raise AIError("No AI found in this configuration")
 
     if ai_conf.name == 'openai':
         ai = OpenAI(cast(OpenAIConfig, ai_conf))
diff --git a/chatmastermind/configuration.py b/chatmastermind/configuration.py
index 08f6cbe..5397f4a 100644
--- a/chatmastermind/configuration.py
+++ b/chatmastermind/configuration.py
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ OpenAIConfigInst = TypeVar('OpenAIConfigInst', bound='OpenAIConfig')
 
 
 supported_ais: list[str] = ['openai']
-default_ai_ID: str = 'default'
 default_config_path = '.config.yaml'
 
 
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ class OpenAIConfig(AIConfig):
 
     # all members have default values, so we can easily create
     # a default configuration
-    ID: str = 'default'
+    ID: str = 'myopenai'
     api_key: str = '0123456789'
     model: str = 'gpt-3.5-turbo-16k'
     temperature: float = 1.0
diff --git a/tests/test_ai_factory.py b/tests/test_ai_factory.py
index d00b319..9cb94d3 100644
--- a/tests/test_ai_factory.py
+++ b/tests/test_ai_factory.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from chatmastermind.ais.openai import OpenAI
 class TestCreateAI(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self) -> None:
         self.args = MagicMock(spec=argparse.Namespace)
-        self.args.AI = 'default'
+        self.args.AI = 'myopenai'
         self.args.model = None
         self.args.max_tokens = None
         self.args.temperature = None
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class TestCreateAI(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_create_ai_from_args(self) -> None:
         # Create an AI with the default configuration
         config = Config()
-        self.args.AI = 'default'
+        self.args.AI = 'myopenai'
         ai = create_ai(self.args, config)
         self.assertIsInstance(ai, OpenAI)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_configuration.py b/tests/test_configuration.py
index f3f9a98..ba8a5aa 100644
--- a/tests/test_configuration.py
+++ b/tests/test_configuration.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
         source_dict = {
             'db': './test_db/',
             'ais': {
-                'default': {
+                'myopenai': {
                     'name': 'openai',
                     'system': 'Custom system',
                     'api_key': '9876543210',
@@ -75,10 +75,10 @@ class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
         config = Config.from_dict(source_dict)
         self.assertEqual(config.db, './test_db/')
         self.assertEqual(len(config.ais), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(config.ais['default'].name, 'openai')
-        self.assertEqual(cast(OpenAIConfig, config.ais['default']).system, 'Custom system')
+        self.assertEqual(config.ais['myopenai'].name, 'openai')
+        self.assertEqual(cast(OpenAIConfig, config.ais['myopenai']).system, 'Custom system')
         # check that 'ID' has been added
-        self.assertEqual(config.ais['default'].ID, 'default')
+        self.assertEqual(config.ais['myopenai'].ID, 'myopenai')
 
     def test_create_default_should_create_default_config(self) -> None:
         Config.create_default(Path(self.test_file.name))
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
         config = Config(
             db='./test_db/',
             ais={
-                'default': OpenAIConfig(
-                    ID='default',
+                'myopenai': OpenAIConfig(
+                    ID='myopenai',
                     system='Custom system',
                     api_key='9876543210',
                     model='custom_model',
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class TestConfig(unittest.TestCase):
             saved_config = yaml.load(f, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
         self.assertEqual(saved_config['db'], './test_db/')
         self.assertEqual(len(saved_config['ais']), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(saved_config['ais']['default']['system'], 'Custom system')
+        self.assertEqual(saved_config['ais']['myopenai']['system'], 'Custom system')
 
     def test_from_file_error_unknown_ai(self) -> None:
         source_dict = {