Campus AI Sandbox (BETA)

All campus faculty and staff, and students at the Haas School of Business and College of Engineering have automatic access to the AI Sandbox. To access the Sandbox, please use (and bookmark) this link: https://ai-sandbox.berkeley.edu. All others, please request access.

What is the Campus AI Sandbox?

This initiative is part of UC Berkeley's ongoing effort to make advanced technology available to the campus community to enhance productivity. The AI Sandbox is provided campus-wide in a limited pilot at the request of the Provost's Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence.

The Campus AI Sandbox is a web-based tool that lets you use leading AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and others, all in one place. It’s built on the LibreChat open source software package and designed to help with tasks like writing, coding, research. Whether you’re faculty, staff or in a student worker role- this limited pilot is aimed at increasing your efficiency with administrative tasks. The AI Sandbox offers quick access to advanced AI tools without needing technical know-how. This is not available generally to students or for academic work at this time.

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Features in Scope for the Pilot

The AI Sandbox includes access to all the top models, includes web search capability, and image generation.

What is the purpose of the pilot?

The pilot began on March 20, 2025, and is ongoing. During the pilot period, we plan to:

Develop communications and guidelines aligned with UC systemwide guidance and the UC AI Guiding Principles.
Develop a better understanding of how this technology can help save UC Berkeley staff and faculty time, while addressing equity issues making top AI models available in one place to everyone.
Analyzing the drivers of cost and how people benefit so we understand the costs of making generative AI tools widely available, and also to bring information to PAC-AI, the CIO and campus leaders to enable a sustainable funding model for this.
You can read the original proposal to PAC-AI here which includes rationale and expected benefits to campus.

Is the Campus AI Sandbox secure?

Currently in BETA, as of October 2, 2025 approved for P3 data security levels. The AI Sandbox has been designed to run in the cloud using our UC Contract with AWS, developed using "secure by design" principles, in consultation with engineering resources from the College of Engineering, AWS, and the campus security team. We are operating LibreChat in a deployment that uses the AWS Well-architected framework, and in conformance with the campus P4 security guidelines checklist. All of the models currently offered leverage the privacy, intellectual property, and security agreements purchased via UC contracts.

Who can participate in the pilot?

Currently, the pilot is open to all Berkeley faculty, staff and student workers, for administrative uses in their daily work. All students at the Haas School of Business and College of Engineering also already have access and do not need to apply. Visit the Sandbox here: https://ai-sandbox.berkeley.edu

If you are not a member of the campus faculty or staff, nor a student at Haas Business School or the College of Engineering, you can submit this short form to sign up to participate in the pilot. Note that this is a manual process - it may take 1-2 business days for you to be added.

How can I use the Campus AI Sandbox?

Read the Terms of Use for the Campus AI Sandbox and review this Campus Guidance on Appropriate Use of Generative AI.

Who can I contact about the Campus AI Sandbox pilot?

If you need technical assistance or have questions about the pilot, please email ai-sandbox-support@berkeley.edu.

Executive Sponsor: Tracy Shinn (AVC-IT and CIO, UC Berkeley)

Functional Sponsors: Wes Johnson (Executive Director of Campus IT Experience, Berkeley IT), Eric Fraser (Assistant Dean for IT, College of Engineering), and Phil Mahoney (Associate CIO, Haas School of Business)