A quick, practical guide to choosing the right University of Idaho AI tool for the job.
Before picking a tool, identify the highest-risk information you will type, paste, or upload:
- Low Risk: Public or nonsensitive information
- Moderate Risk: Sensitive university information requiring additional protection
- High Risk: Highly sensitive or regulated information
For more information on data classifications, see: How to identify high risk data and Guidance for Artificial Intelligence
Easy rule: Your prompt and every uploaded file count as data. If a tool is not approved for that data level, choose another tool.
- Need a safe, university-hosted starting point? Try VandalChat.
- Working with university email, meetings, or files? Use Microsoft 365 Copilot if you have a license, or Copilot Chat for general help.
- Want a reusable helper for a process or knowledge area? With Microsoft 365 Copilot, licensed users can create agents that interact with approved university files and information.
- Need advanced writing or analysis? Use Microsoft 365 Copilot when working with university files or Microsoft 365 information
- Need meeting help? Use Microsoft 365 Copilot for Teams meeting summaries, questions, and follow-up tasks if you have a license, or use Zoom AI Companion for Zoom meetings.
- Creating images? Use Adobe Firefly or VandalChat with Low Risk data only.
- Writing or reviewing code? Jump to the developer tools section.
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Tool
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Best for
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Approved data
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Cost / access
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VandalChat
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General AI help in a university-hosted environment
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Low Risk approved. Moderate Risk has interim approval. High Risk is not currently approved.
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No additional cost through the U of I-hosted service. Must be on campus network.
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Vandalizer
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Supported research-administration document workflows
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Low and Moderate Risk. High Risk is not approved.
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Free
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Microsoft Copilot Chat
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Drafting, summarizing, brainstorming, and general research
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Low and Moderate Risk when signed in with your U of I account. High Risk is not currently approved.
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Included with a U of I account.
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Microsoft 365 Copilot
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Working with university email and files; getting Teams meeting summaries, questions, and follow-up help; using Microsoft 365 apps; and creating agents that interact with approved university information
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Low and Moderate Risk when using the university-managed service. High Risk is not currently approved.
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Requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license at $250 per year.
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Claude Enterprise
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Advanced writing, analysis, reasoning, and document review
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Low and Moderate Risk. High Risk is not currently approved.
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Requires approved access or license. Cost based on token usage, limits can be set.
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Claude Personal
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General writing, brainstorming, and analysis using nonsensitive information
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Low Risk data only. Do not enter Moderate or High Risk university information.
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Personal account; not university managed.
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Google Gemini
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General AI help in Google-oriented workflows
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Low and Moderate Risk when signed in with your U of I account. High Risk is not approved.
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Available with a U of I account; some features may require a paid license.
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Zoom AI Companion
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Meeting summaries, questions, recordings, and whiteboard assistance
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Low and Moderate Risk. High Risk is not approved. Notify participants when AI features are used.
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Included with U of I Zoom access when enabled.
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Adobe Firefly
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Creating or editing images and creative content
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Low Risk only.
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Included with Adobe Express access.
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Still unsure? Start with VandalChat or Copilot Chat, then check the approved-data column before adding university information.
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Tool
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Best for
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Approved data
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Cost / access
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GitHub Copilot Enterprise
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Code completion, testing, and refactoring
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Low, Moderate, and High Risk, subject to university requirements.
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Requires Enterprise access or license. price based on token usage.
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Claude Code
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Multi-step development work across a codebase
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Low Risk. Moderate or High Risk work requires an approved environment and process.
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Requires approved access; an enterprise license may be needed. Cost based on token usage, limits can be set.
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MindRouter
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Locally hosted models, APIs, and AI integrations
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Low Risk approved. Moderate Risk has interim approval. High Risk is not currently approved.
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Available through the U of I-hosted service; some use requires approval. Free service.
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Developer reminder: AI-generated or AI-modified code still requires human review and must follow university security, source-control, testing, code-review, and change-management requirements.
Purchase software via oit.uidaho.edu
Keep it simple: personal or consumer AI accounts are for Low Risk information only. Never enter Moderate or High Risk university information, and do not assume a public AI tool is approved just because it is available online.
Take this quick final check:
- Know your data classification.
- Sign in with your U of I account when available.
- Verify that you are using the university managed or enterprise version.
- Do not share university-system credentials with an AI tool.
- Review AI-generated content and code for accuracy, security, bias, and appropriateness.
- Remember that you are responsible for the final product.
When in doubt, pause and check. AI tools and approvals change. Consult Guidance for Artificial Intelligence before using sensitive university information; it remains the authoritative source for approved tools and data classifications.