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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, or Claude Enterprise for advanced writing, reasoning, and document analysis. The personal Claude version is for Low Risk data only.
- 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.