Division of IT

The AI portfolio, built and brokered by DIT for the University of Maryland

Two paths to enterprise AI at UMD — Products we design and engineer for the UMD community, purpose-built for the academic, research, and operational problems off-the-shelf AI doesn't solve, and Solutions we negotiate, vet, and operate with the world's frontier model providers.

▌ Not sure where to start?

Find your tool

Answer three quick questions and we'll point you at the right service — and tell you why, including the data classification it's approved for.

Question 1 of 3
What are you trying to do?
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▌ The Portfolio

Catalog

Filter by category or by data classification. Products are engineered and operated by DIT. Solutions are commercial off-the-shelf platforms DIT licenses, manages, and governs on behalf of UMD.

Products — Built by DIT

Designed for the UMD community — engineered to a high bar for academic, research, and operational problems commercial AI doesn't solve for us.
Conversational AI · engineered in-house
UMD Virtual Agent
Product

A UMD-built chatbot powered by machine learning and natural language processing — engineered for the way UMD actually teaches and operates. Deployed in two flavors that off-the-shelf chatbots can't match because they don't know how ELMS-Canvas, departments, or institutional procedures work.

  • Virtual Study Assistant — ELMS-Canvas-integrated, Quiz Mode, video transcription, course-grounded answers
  • Departmental Assistant — an information hub for documented procedures and institutional knowledge
  • Domain-tuned, owned end-to-end by UMD
Level 2 — Moderate Request a deployment Learn more about the UMD Virtual Agent
How it's built
Built by DIT.
Run for UMD.

DIT builds for our community what no commercial vendor will — tuned to academic workflows, UMD systems, and the way UMD actually works. Have an interesting idea for what's next? We'd love to hear it — reach out and let's talk.

Email the team

Solutions — Enterprise Partners

Commercial AI platforms licensed, vetted, and governed by DIT on behalf of UMD.
Cloudforce · Managed Solution
TerpAI
Solution

UMD's premier generative AI offering — built to make advanced AI accessible and affordable for every UMD student, faculty member, and staff member. Delivered in close partnership with Cloudforce, a Maryland-based partner, and operated in-house more closely than any other commercial AI on this page.

  • Everyday task assistance, concept clarification, study guides
  • Analysis, decision support, and creative brainstorming
  • Open access for the UMD community
  • Day-to-day managed by DIT AI Services alongside Cloudforce engineering

Log in today to start using TerpAI — terpai.umd.edu

Level 2 — Moderate Learn more about TerpAI
OpenAI · Frontier reasoning
ChatGPT EDU
Solution

Access to OpenAI's frontier models with enterprise-grade data privacy — approved for Level 3 data. Custom GPTs restricted to the UMD workspace, extended context, SOC 2 protections.

Connecting a third-party app from inside ChatGPT? GPTs themselves don't need review, but any external app or service a GPT connects to does — see SRM guidance →

Billing change · July 1, 2026.

Moving from fixed pricing to credit-based, tier-allocated billing (Standard / Power / Max).

Log in to ChatGPT EDU — chatgpt.com

Level 3 — High License and pricing Learn more about ChatGPT Enterprise
Anthropic · Frontier reasoning
Claude
Solution

Approved for full university usage with department-procured Claude Teams plans. Each instance supports up to 150 seats; work with your unit's business office on licensing and procurement. Admins must disable "Help improve Claude" in Settings → Privacy.

Open Claude (once your department has a Teams plan) — claude.ai

Level 3 — High Request procurement guidance
Perplexity · Answer engine
Perplexity Pro
Solution

Real-time web search with citations — designed for evidence-based research, learning, and collaboration. Currently in faculty/staff pilot.

Open Perplexity (faculty/staff pilot) — perplexity.ai

Level 2 — Moderate Pilot Learn more about Perplexity Enterprise Pro
Adobe Creative Cloud
Firefly
Solution

Generative AI for image, photo, video, and graphic workflows — integrated into Photoshop and Illustrator. 1,000 monthly credits for asset generation.

Refer SRM Learn more about Adobe Firefly
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▌ At a glance

Compare

Data classification, model family, and procurement path side-by-side.

All 8 services · click any column header to sort. Defaults to Classification, highest first.
ChatGPT Enterprise Solution Level 3 — High OpenAI frontier models Licensed seats · credit tiers
Anthropic Claude Solution Level 3 — High Anthropic frontier models Department-procured
TerpAI Solution Level 2 — Moderate Frontier models Open to UMD community
UMD Virtual Agent Product Level 2 — Moderate Frontier models Course & department deployments
Google Gemini/NotebookLM Solution Level 2 — Moderate Google frontier models Google Workspace
Microsoft 365 Copilot Solution Level 2 — Moderate OpenAI frontier models Microsoft 365 licensing
Perplexity Enterprise Pro Solution Level 2 — Moderate Frontier models Pilot · faculty & staff
Adobe Firefly Solution Refer SRM Creative generative AI Creative Cloud
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▌ Thinking about a new AI tool?

Start here

The questions we get most often, answered plainly.

FAQ · 01
"Can I use this AI tool for my work?"
Most asked

If a tool is not in this catalog, review the current SRM requirements before adopting it. Contact the SRM team if you need help with the review process.

Review SRM requirements Email the SRM team
FAQ · 02
"Can I connect an app to ChatGPT?"
ChatGPT

Custom GPTs themselves don't need review — you can build them freely inside the UMD workspace. What does need review is any third-party app, connector, or service the GPT reaches out to from inside ChatGPT — anywhere data leaves the workspace to talk to another system. Those go through SRM.

Not sure if your idea crosses that line? Contact the SRM team before you build it. They can confirm whether the connector needs review and direct you to the current process.

Review SRM requirements Email the SRM team
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▌ How we govern this

Governance & SRM

The university's Software Risk Management program is the mandatory review every third-party tool — and every DIT-built product — clears before it is available at UMD. The review helps protect institutional data, address FERPA / HIPAA / state procurement requirements, and ensure digital tools and content are accessible to members of the university community.

Review team · 01
IT Compliance
Security

Security evaluation against university and federal standards — authentication, encryption, integration risk, and vendor security posture.

Review team · 02
Data Privacy
Privacy

Data-handling practices, contractual safeguards (DPAs), and mapping to the IT-2 Data Classification Standard. Office of General Counsel reviews contracts as needed.

Review team · 03
Accessibility
WCAG 2

Digital accessibility review aligned with applicable accessibility standards and UMD policy, helping ensure tools are usable by members of the university community.

The process
From request to approval
SRM program
  1. 1 Check — review the approved software list and current SRM requirements.
  2. 2 Submit — provide the information requested by the SRM program.
  3. 3 Review — security, privacy, accessibility, and procurement partners coordinate the review.
View the SRM program
When it's required
SRM triggers
Any one applies

Review is mandatory if the tool meets any of these conditions:

  • Stores or processes Level 3 (High) or Level 4 (Restricted) data
  • Used for instruction or core academic activities
  • Costs more than $25,000
Below those thresholds?

Tools with no sensitive data, no instructional use, and under $25k may qualify for expedited procurement.

IT-2 Standard
Data classification quick reference
Check first

Confirm the highest classification of data you plan to use before choosing a service.

  • Level 1 — Low Low (L1) — Low-risk or public data; no AI tools currently sit here due to enterprise security standards.
  • Level 2 — Moderate Moderate (L2) — Internal data with manageable risk; most enterprise AI tools on this page fit here.
  • Level 3 — High High (L3) — Sensitive data with severe risk; approved for ChatGPT Enterprise & Anthropic Claude.
  • Level 4 — Restricted Restricted (L4) — Highly regulated data; strict legal controls require mandatory, additional review.
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▌ Reach DIT teams

Reach DIT teams

Questions about a service, procurement, or starting an SRM review.

Primary
AI Services

For any service in this portfolio — procurement, access, deployment.

Contact DIT AI Services
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