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AI Tools & Licenses

This page provides an overview of common generative AI tools, a field that is constantly growing and changing. The use of Microsoft Copilot as well as Google Gemini is currently recommended, as data-protected access is possible directly via an ETH account.

The scope of application of AI goes far beyond the tools listed here. The ETH AI Center is working intensively on various application scenarios, including in the field of teaching, and is the central hub for artificial intelligence. Some possibilities of application in the field of teaching, which are currently being developed, are listed under projects. You can also find specific information on the direct use of these tools under Assistance for Teaching.

Recommendation: Microsoft Copilot

Status, December 2024

The external page Microsoft Copilot Website (formerly Bing Chat) is a tool based on generative AI that can generate text and images and is available free of charge. The service can be accessed in a protected environment via a Microsoft 365 Cloud Subscription, which is provided by ETH Zürich.

In addition to the website, Microsoft Copilot is also integrated directly into the Edge browser and can be accessed via the ETH user account.

It is important to emphasise the distinction between external page Copilot for Microsoft 365 (paid subscription), a direct integration of Copilot into Microsoft office applications, and external page GitHub Copilot (paid subscription, free education licences), a programming tool that can be integrated directly into various programming environments on the basis of generative AI.

The freely accessible version of Microsoft Copilot offers

  • freely available text and image generation,
  • the ‘protected’ status (with Microsoft ETH-account), whereby personal data is not used as training data,
  • a chat history of previously executed queries,
  • the direct integration of an Internet search,
  • links to further resources,
  • uploading a document for specific questioning.

The fee-based Pro/Business versions offer

  • prioritised access,
  • GPTs that can be configured for your own needs (‘chat bots’),
  • the integration of Copilot into office and other Microsoft applications.

Licence costs are charged per user for the Pro and Business versions. All details on the specific and technical information can be found at Microsoft Copilot, the offer overview page of Cloud Services at ETH Zurich.

Recommendation: Google Gemini

Status, December 2024

The offering external page Google Gemini (formerly Bard) is based on a Large Language Model (LLM) developed by Google itself. It can be used, among other things, to integrate image uploads and voice input to generate texts.

ETH Zurich offers a Google Workspace Cloud Subscription that allows the service to be used free of charge and in a protected environment. As with Microsoft Copilot, data entered is not used to train the models.

The free version of Google Gemini offers

  • free text generation based on text, image or voice input,
  • a protected status (with Google ETH account), whereby personal data is not used by Google as training data,
  • direct integration of an internet search,
  • the chat history of previously executed queries.

The advanced version, which is subject to a fee, offers

  • prioritised access and more up-to-date models,
  • direct integration of personal data storage.

All the specific details about the ETH Google account in connection with Google Gemini and the associated options can be found at Gemini from ETH Zurich's cloud services.

Further generative AI tools

The following list contains a few websites with tools that are currently well known or have proven useful, and makes no claim on completeness.

Status, December 2024

OpenAI was the first player on the market with external page ChatGPT and was able to establish itself across the board very quickly. The further development of the Large Language Models (LLM), the refinement of the options for interacting with the model and the range of products on offer are constantly expanding.

With the introduction of GPTs (custom GPTs, personal ‘chat bots’) in autumn 2023, it also became possible to enhance the outputs of generative AI with your own data and configure them to suit your own needs. This offer is subject to certain restrictions and in some cases is only possible via the paid Plus version.

The freely accessible version of ChaptGPT offers

  • freely available text generation,
  • a chat history of previously executed queries (note: data is stored on the OpenAI server).

The Plus/Team versions, which are subject to a charge, offer

  • prioritised access and more up-to-date models,
  • image generation,
  • GPTs (‘chat bots’) that can be configured for your own needs.

A personal account must always be created to access ChatGPT. It is strongly recommended to switch off the option "Improve the model for everyone" so that inserted texts and data are not used for training the model (see external page Data Controls FAQ von OpenAI).

Status, December 2024

Anthropic, the company behind the product external page Claude.AI, has made a name for itself in recent months with its highly advanced Large Language Model (LLM). This product also allows users to upload images and integrate multiple documents (upload limit in the free version).

The freely accessible version of Claude.AI offers

  • freely available text generation based on text,
  • upload of your own documents,
  • a chat history of previously executed queries (note: data is stored on the server).

The chargeable Pro-/Team-version offers

  • prioritised access and more up-to-date models,
  • organisation of projects as well as document mangament.

In order to access Claude.AI, a personal account must be created in any case. Anthropic guarantees that the data used for the interaction with the LLM will not be used to train their models (see Anthropic's external page Data Handling & Retention).

Below is a list of some AI tools that are currently also frequently used and supplement the tools above. The list does not claim to be exhaustive.

A number of AI-based tools have already become established, particularly in scientific work and literature research. A brief overview can be found here.

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