Welcome to the UC Berkeley AI Platform BETA (River) Pilot Project. This initiative is part of our ongoing effort to make advanced technology available to the campus community to enhance productivity.
What is the Campus AI Platform BETA?
River is provided campus-wide in a limited pilot at the request of the Provost's Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence.
The Campus AI Platform 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 LibreChat 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. River 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.
Features in Scope for the Pilot
River 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:
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Develop communications and guidelines aligned with UC systemwide guidance and the UC AI Guiding Principles.
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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.
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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 Platform BETA secure?
Currently - in BETA - this service is only approved for P2 data security levels. However, the Campus AI Platform BETA has been designed to run in the cloud on AWS. It has been developed using "secure by design" principles, and in consultation with engineering resources from AWS and the campus security team. We are building the platform using LibreChat deployed using the AWS Well-architected framework, and the campus P4 security guidelines checklist. All of the models currently offered use UC contracts with robust privacy, intellectual property and security agreements.
Who can participate in the pilot?
Currently, the pilot is open to faculty, staff and student workers, for administrative uses in their daily work.
Submit this short form to express your interest in the pilot program.
Campus AI Platform BETA Guidance
Formal guidance will be coming soon, and we will be soliciting input from the Berkeley AI Community
Who can I contact about the Campus AI Platform BETA pilot?
If you need technical assistance or have questions about the pilot, please email aiplatform-team@lists.berkeley.edu
Executive Sponsor: Tracy Shinn (AVC-IT and CIO, UC Berkeley)
Functional Sponsors: Bill Allison (UC Berkeley CTO/Berkeley IT), Eric Fraser (Assistant Dean for IT, College of Engineering), and Pierre Chew (CIO, Haas School of Business)