This is a guide for CAES faculty and staff interested in acquiring AI tools. Check the date this information was posted. If it’s been more than a year or two, things might have changed!
Most users only need free tools
Free versions will work well for:
- Brainstorming
- Drafting emails
- Working through technical questions
Situations where paid versions might make sense:
- Workflow automations
- Analyzing a large number of documents
- Saving a very long conversation history
If you use a free tool at UGA, avoid ChatGPT
Posting UGA data into the free version of ChatGPT may violate UGA intellectual property rules and expose your data outside the UGA community. Your prompts and activity will also be subject to open records requests.
Gemini and Copilot are safer options if you’re using the free tier. While they are still subject to open records requests, UGA has licensed agreements with both vendors that ensure UGA data is not used to train their models.
If you primarily use Microsoft tools, Copilot is probably the best fit. If you primarily use Google Docs, Google Sheets, etc., then Gemini is the better choice.
Always sign in with your MyID—this puts you under UGA’s license agreement and keeps your data protected.
Interested in a paid tool?
UGA EITS offers reasonably priced contracts with the 4 main AI vendors:
- ChatGPT
- Gemini
- Copilot
- Claude
Purchasing your license through UGA both ensures your data stays protected and also usually results in a price discount. Check out our comparison tool for more information about each option. Then work with your unit’s business manager to submit a request form, which will be open at the beginning of each semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer).
