Campus AI providers
AI Commons
Who can use it
Faculty and staff. Graduate and undergraduate access is not official yet.
Security level
Up to P3, and P4 with approval
How to use it
Generative chat, augmented bots, API
Hosting
Serverless, developed with the engineering team
Cost and quota
1M tokens by default, with extensions on request
Notable
Extra levels of security, certified for P1 to P3, and services can be built on top of it, such as the UCSB AI Benchmarks project
Best for
P3 data, and building services on a campus AI platform
CIT
Who can use it
The whole campus, with no usage limits. Heavy use may affect performance.
Security level
Up to P2. Not designed for P3 or P4.
How to use it
OpenWebUI chat, which can have knowledge bases attached, LiteLLM API, JupyterHub, and IDE and agentic coding integrations
Models
Open-weight models with OSI-approved licenses, including Gemma, Qwen and GPT-OSS. Also connects to NRP models.
Hosting
Entirely on campus on Kubernetes, so data stays local. Most models run on NVIDIA RTX Pro 6000 (Blackwell).
Cost and quota
No cost, using already-funded resources
Notable
Optional web search and fetch in chat
Best for
No-cost chat or API for everyone including students, open-weight models on campus hardware, and AI inside an IDE or agentic coding
GRIT
Who can use it
Researchers
How to use it
OpenWebUI chat and Ollama. API accounts through OpenWebUI are restricted to specific groups.
Models
Ollama
Notable
Optional temporary chat, which keeps no conversation history
Best for
Chat with no saved history, and API access for a specific group
NRP (National Research Platform)
Who can use it
Open to all. Students can request access with a NetID account, subject to approval.
Security level
P1 to P2 at most. Treat it as not secure.
How to use it
Chat and API
Models
Hosting
National Research Platform, off campus
Cost and quota
Account approval required
Notable
Also available through CIT
Best for
A wider range of models for P1 and P2 data, including for students
DREAMLab (Coder Workspace)
Who can use it
Primarily Library projects and workshops
How to use it
LiteLLM API only, plus the Coder Workspace agentic coding sandbox
Models
Google models through GCP cloud credits, and CIT models
Hosting
Google Cloud, plus CIT models
Best for
Library projects and workshops, and an agentic coding sandbox
| Gateway | Who can use it | Security level | How to use it | Cost and quota | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Commons | Faculty and staff. Graduate and undergraduate access is not official yet. | Up to P3, and P4 with approval | Generative chat, augmented bots, API | 1M tokens by default, with extensions on request | P3 data, and building services on a campus AI platform |
| CIT | The whole campus, with no usage limits. Heavy use may affect performance. | Up to P2. Not designed for P3 or P4. | OpenWebUI chat, which can have knowledge bases attached, LiteLLM API, JupyterHub, and IDE and agentic coding integrations | No cost, using already-funded resources | No-cost chat or API for everyone including students, open-weight models on campus hardware, and AI inside an IDE or agentic coding |
| GRIT | Researchers | Not recorded | OpenWebUI chat and Ollama. API accounts through OpenWebUI are restricted to specific groups. | Not recorded | Chat with no saved history, and API access for a specific group |
| NRP (National Research Platform) | Open to all. Students can request access with a NetID account, subject to approval. | P1 to P2 at most. Treat it as not secure. | Chat and API | Account approval required | A wider range of models for P1 and P2 data, including for students |
| DREAMLab (Coder Workspace) | Primarily Library projects and workshops | Not recorded | LiteLLM API only, plus the Coder Workspace agentic coding sandbox | Not recorded | Library projects and workshops, and an agentic coding sandbox |
AI Commons P3 data, and building services on a campus AI platform
(desc)
Who can use it
Faculty and staff. Graduate and undergraduate access is not official yet.
Security level
Up to P3, and P4 with approval
How to use it
Generative chat, augmented bots, API
Hosting
Serverless, developed with the engineering team
Cost and quota
1M tokens by default, with extensions on request
Notable
Extra levels of security, certified for P1 to P3, and services can be built on top of it, such as the UCSB AI Benchmarks project
CIT No-cost chat or API for everyone including students, open-weight models on campus hardware, and AI inside an IDE or agentic coding
(desc)
Who can use it
The whole campus, with no usage limits. Heavy use may affect performance.
Security level
Up to P2. Not designed for P3 or P4.
How to use it
OpenWebUI chat, which can have knowledge bases attached, LiteLLM API, JupyterHub, and IDE and agentic coding integrations
Models
Open-weight models with OSI-approved licenses, including Gemma, Qwen and GPT-OSS. Also connects to NRP models.
Hosting
Entirely on campus on Kubernetes, so data stays local. Most models run on NVIDIA RTX Pro 6000 (Blackwell).
Cost and quota
No cost, using already-funded resources
Notable
Optional web search and fetch in chat
GRIT Chat with no saved history, and API access for a specific group
(desc)
Who can use it
Researchers
How to use it
OpenWebUI chat and Ollama. API accounts through OpenWebUI are restricted to specific groups.
Models
Ollama
Notable
Optional temporary chat, which keeps no conversation history
NRP (National Research Platform) A wider range of models for P1 and P2 data, including for students
(desc)
Who can use it
Open to all. Students can request access with a NetID account, subject to approval.
Security level
P1 to P2 at most. Treat it as not secure.
How to use it
Chat and API
Models
Hosting
National Research Platform, off campus
Cost and quota
Account approval required
Notable
Also available through CIT
DREAMLab (Coder Workspace) Library projects and workshops, and an agentic coding sandbox
(desc)
Who can use it
Primarily Library projects and workshops
How to use it
LiteLLM API only, plus the Coder Workspace agentic coding sandbox
Models
Google models through GCP cloud credits, and CIT models
Hosting
Google Cloud, plus CIT models
AI Commons
(desc)
Full details
Who can use it
Faculty and staff. Graduate and undergraduate access is not official yet.
Security level
Up to P3, and P4 with approval
How to use it
Generative chat, augmented bots, API
Hosting
Serverless, developed with the engineering team
Cost and quota
1M tokens by default, with extensions on request
Notable
Extra levels of security, certified for P1 to P3, and services can be built on top of it, such as the UCSB AI Benchmarks project
Best for
P3 data, and building services on a campus AI platform
CIT
(desc)
Full details
Who can use it
The whole campus, with no usage limits. Heavy use may affect performance.
Security level
Up to P2. Not designed for P3 or P4.
How to use it
OpenWebUI chat, which can have knowledge bases attached, LiteLLM API, JupyterHub, and IDE and agentic coding integrations
Models
Open-weight models with OSI-approved licenses, including Gemma, Qwen and GPT-OSS. Also connects to NRP models.
Hosting
Entirely on campus on Kubernetes, so data stays local. Most models run on NVIDIA RTX Pro 6000 (Blackwell).
Cost and quota
No cost, using already-funded resources
Notable
Optional web search and fetch in chat
Best for
No-cost chat or API for everyone including students, open-weight models on campus hardware, and AI inside an IDE or agentic coding
GRIT
(desc)
Full details
Who can use it
Researchers
How to use it
OpenWebUI chat and Ollama. API accounts through OpenWebUI are restricted to specific groups.
Models
Ollama
Notable
Optional temporary chat, which keeps no conversation history
Best for
Chat with no saved history, and API access for a specific group
NRP (National Research Platform)
(desc)
Full details
Who can use it
Open to all. Students can request access with a NetID account, subject to approval.
Security level
P1 to P2 at most. Treat it as not secure.
How to use it
Chat and API
Models
Hosting
National Research Platform, off campus
Cost and quota
Account approval required
Notable
Also available through CIT
Best for
A wider range of models for P1 and P2 data, including for students
DREAMLab (Coder Workspace)
(desc)
Full details
Who can use it
Primarily Library projects and workshops
How to use it
LiteLLM API only, plus the Coder Workspace agentic coding sandbox
Models
Google models through GCP cloud credits, and CIT models
Hosting
Google Cloud, plus CIT models
Best for
Library projects and workshops, and an agentic coding sandbox
Compare the models themselves
AI Benchmarks catalogs every model served through the campus gateways, together with the provider behind it and how it performs on a set of benchmarks. Use it when you have chosen a gateway and need to pick a model, or when you want to know whether a model handles images, how large its output can be, and whether it has been tested.
More questions?
The Office of the Chief Information Officer maintains campus-wide guidance on using AI at UCSB.