AI Tool Comparison
Compare the features and use cases of university-approved AI tools
AI Assistants: All-in-One
This information only applies to the specific CU Denver | Anschutz version of these tools.
Microsoft AI Assistants
| Tool Details | Microsoft Copilot Pro | Microsoft Copilot Chat |
| Cost | Cost via license | Free |
| Start Using Tool | Purchase a Microsoft Copilot Pro license | Learn more about Microsoft Copilot Chat |
| Audience | Faculty, staff, students, researchers and Microsoft 365 power users | Faculty, staff and students |
| Data Classification | Highly confidential | Highly confidential |
| HIPAA/FERPA Allowed | Yes, with approval from the data owner. | Yes, with approval from the data owner. |
| Web Search | No | Yes |
| Features, Tools & Integration | Everything included in Microsoft Copilot Chat along with: searching amongst all of your M365 files based on prompt, researcher agent (includes Claude), and analyst agent. Advanced integrations within M365 applications such as Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel | File upload, create Word/Excel/PowerPoint files, image generation (5 per day), content summarization, content editing, content generation, create custom agents, and integration within M365 Outlook. |
| Where it Excels | Working in the Microsoft ecosystem to tie all your work together | Compliant chat in M365; easy file upload; share basic RAG agentstooltip |
| Use Case | Streamline your productivity and automate work through integration with various Microsoft 365 applications. Conduct research with researcher and analyst agents | Excellent for everyday work and assignments: Create, edit, revise and summarize content via chat. Easily upload and edit Microsoft files |
| Technical Expertise Required | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed |
ChatGPT Edu AI Assistants
| Tool Details | CU ChatGPT Edu | CU ChatGPT Edu Advanced Features |
| Cost | Free | Select your pay-as-you-go tier level |
| Start Using Tool | Take the required training to access CU ChatGPT Edu | Take the required training for CU ChatGPT Edu, then take the required training for the advanced features (Coming Soon) |
| Audience | Eligible faculty, staff and students | Eligible faculty, staff and students |
| Data Classification | Highly confidential | Highly confidential |
| HIPAA/FERPA Allowed | Yes, with approval from the data owner | Yes, with approval from the data owner |
| Web Search | Yes | Yes |
| Features, Tools & Integration | Canvas, image Generation (3 per day), code interpreter & data analysis, deep research (5 per day), GPTs, projects, study and learn | Advanced reasoning and thinking models, voice conversations, additional deep research, additional image generation, data collection and analysis workflows, knowledge management assistants, administrative support agents, and more.
|
| Where it Excels | Compliant, accessible chat; familiar interface; easy to create custom GPTs | Compliant, accessible chat; familiar interface; deep research; creating complex workflows; support agents |
| Use Case | Excellent for everyday work and assignments: create, edit, revise, and summarize content via chat. Conduct research with deep research feature up to 5 a day. | Great for simplifying workflows and administrative support. The deep research and data analysis is helpful for researchers and projects. |
| Technical Expertise Required | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed |
Google AI Assistants
| Tool Details | Google Workspace - Gemini | Google Workspace - NotebookLM |
| Cost | Cost via license for Google Workspace including both Gemini and NotebookLM (Coming Soon) | Cost via license for Google Workspace including both Gemini and NotebookLM (Coming Soon) |
| Start Using Tool | Request license to Google Workspace | Request license to Google Workspace Service Portal login required |
| Audience | Researchers; Developers | Researchers; Developers |
| Data Classification | Highly confidential | Highly confidential |
| HIPAA/FERPA Allowed | No | No |
| Web Search | Yes | Yes |
| Features, Tools & Integration | Gemini models; guided learning; image generation; canvas; file upload; deep research; complex multi-step tasks; code generation
| Turn sources into media: RAGtooltip, podcasts, videos, reports, flashcards, quizzes, infographics, slides; deep synthesis; document analysis; |
| Where it Excels | Teaching resources across multiple media; general purpose chat; drafting code, emails and creative content; automated workflows | Analyzing large stacks of reports, papers or meeting notes; generating study guides; creating videos and podcasts |
| Use Case | Learn from any resource; generate code, infographics and slide decks fast and easily; general chat | Restricted to the files you upload for content creation to reduce outside knowledge pollution; generate podcasts, and videos fast and easily; analyze large documents; generate study guides and quizzes from only your lecture content |
| Technical Expertise Required | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed |
AI Environments
This information only applies to the specific CU Denver | Anschutz version of these tools.
| Tool Details | Vertex AI | Azure Open AI |
| Cost | Estimate provided during onboarding | Estimate provided during onboarding |
| Start Using Tool | Request access to Vertex AI | Request access to Azure Open AI Service Portal login required |
| Audience | Researchers; Developers | Researchers; Developers |
| Data Classification | Confidential | Highly confidential |
| HIPAA/FERPA Allowed | No | Yes, with approval from the data owner. |
| Web Search | Yes | Yes |
| Features, Tools & Integration | Claude Code Vertex AI Studio (model selection, reasoning level, grounding with Google Search, temperature, output structure, top-P); Colab Enterprise; pre-built agent workflows; fine-tuning; batch inference | Integrate OpenAI models into various applications |
| Where it Excels | Advanced agentic workflows; integration with vector DB; fine-tuned models | Advanced agentic workflows; various sized OpenAI models for price or performance; |
| Use Case | Great for advanced research; RAGtooltip with a customized vector DB; pre-built solutions; fine-tuning; batch inference | Advanced research and applications; applications requires programmatic agentic frameworks or those that benefit from batch processing |
| Technical Expertise Required | Intermediate to advanced technical knowledge needed | Intermediate to advanced technical knowledge needed |
AI Assistants: Task-Specific
This information only applies to the specific CU Denver | Anschutz version of these tools.
| Tool Details | Zoom AI Companion | Adobe Creative Suite | Grammarly |
| Cost | Free | Cost via license | Cost via license |
| Start Using Tool | Information to start using Zoom Service Portal login required | Purchase an Adobe Creative Suite license Software store login required | Faculty/Staff purchase a Grammarly license Students purchase a Grammarly license |
| Audience | Faculty, staff and students | Adobe Creative Cloud users | Faculty, staff and students |
| Data Classification | Highly confidential | Confidential | Highly confidential |
| HIPAA/FERPA Allowed | Yes, university data allowed | No | No HIPAA data allowed, FERPA is allowed |
| Features, Tools & Integration | Transcribe and summarize Zoom meetings; option to enable or disable before or during the meeting | Generate images and custom graphics using text prompts. Included with Adobe Creative Cloud licenses and is integrated with the Creative Cloud applications for seamless use. | A real-time communication assistant that works across many applications, including Microsoft 365 office and most web browsers, to assist users with grammar and usage, phrasing and readability, spelling and so much more. |
| Where it Excels | Generating meeting summaries and collecting next steps | Working in the Adobe Creative Cloud environment and image generation | Communication assistance in a variety of applications |
| Use Case | Excellent for taking meeting minutes and collecting notes to reflect on after the meeting, freeing you up to be more present and engaged in the conversation | Great for Adobe Creative Cloud power users who want custom image generation automatically incorporated into their Creative Cloud work | Wonderful for English language learners or users wanting to improve their writing skills-- even if you're already a pro. Use to revise documents, emails, and presentations. |
| Technical Expertise Required | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed | Beginner, minimal technical knowledge needed |
