AI and ML Competency Centre

What is the AI and ML Competency Centre?

Would you like to enhance your work with generative AI tools? Do you want to experiment with new machine learning models in a safe and supported manner? Do you know the University's guidance on how AI can be used appropriately? 

The AI and ML Competency Centre can help. We can offer: free staff training in AI Literacy; consultancy on how to deploy AL/ML methods in education, research, and professional services; and access to approved and supported tools, to help transform the work of your department, centre or project. We can help you to find the right solutions for your AI/ML needs and identify how best to use them while aligning with the University's guidelines. 

Show Me: AI/ML Use Cases 

You may already be using Generative AI every day, or perhaps you’d like to start experimenting. Perhaps you have concerns about introducing AI/ML tools into your workflow, worried about issues like accuracy, information security, or academic integrity. We’ll be featuring effective uses of AI in a series of online resources and in-person events, so that you can be inspired to try out this new technology with confidence. 

If you have an existing use of AI/ML tools for teaching, research or professional services which you’d like to share with the rest of the University, please get in touch. If you currently have a paid subscription to a commercial AI platform such as ChatGPT Plus, we may be able to help you access discounts via a central purchase by the Competency Centre.  

Help Me: Support to access and use AI/ML tools 

We are recruiting a dedicated team of technical staff, business analysts and trainers who will offer free consultancy on understanding and deploying AI-powered tools. This will include providing access to premium versions of commercial Generative AI systems in a controlled and secure environment.  

Skill Me: AI Literacy Programme 

We are developing a selection of resources and training for staff, to ensure that everyone can use AI/ML tools with confidence, safety and for appropriate applications. We will also work to highlight guidance published by the University, letting you know how to comply with existing policies or request clarification. 

We’ll be working with organisations across the University to deliver this programme including: 

 

How we're enhancing your experience with AI and ML

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Hundreds of colleagues paving the way for AI at Oxford

The ChatGPT Enterprise pilot is underway with the AI and Machine Learning Support Competency Centre. Colleagues in the ChatGPT Enterprise pilot cohort have been taking part in personalised introductory training to get to know the tool. The training sessions were ran by OpenAI representatives with Oxfords customer success manager joining the online sessions. At the start of June the ChatGPT Cohort had the opportunity to meet in person and were joined by Professor Anne Trefethen and Open AI representatives based in their London office. Professor Anne Trefethen, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for People and Digital, who thanked colleagues for helping to pave the way for Oxford’s future engagement with this bleeding-edge technology. Learn more about the ChatGPT Enterprise pilot

AI Teaching and Learning Exploratory Fund

In partnership with the Centre for Teaching and Learning the AI and ML Competency centre have launched the AI Teaching and Learning Exploratory Fund. The fund aims to support the exploration of AI in teaching learning and academic administration at Oxford. Successful proposals will receive support from the AI and ML Competency Centre and staff at the Centre for Teaching and Learning. 

The fund is currently accepting proposals with the application closing Wednesday 2 October.  

Learn more about the AI Teaching and Learning Exploratory Fund and how you can apply.  

Generative AI Enterprise Licence Pilot

The Generative AI Enterprise Licence Pilot is now underway. With over 500 colleagues from across the university being provided a licence to use ChatGPT Enterprise or Microsoft Copilot. The pilot aims to evaluate how colleagues across Oxford, can benefit from the use of premium AI tools. You can understand more about the pilot by visiting this page.

Access Approved AI tools: March 2024 pilot - FORM NOW CLOSED

The pilot is currently underway, with no further licenses available 
We have secured a number of Microsoft Copilot 365 for Office and ChatGPT Enterprise licenses. These licenses are available as a pilot resource to colleagues across the university to support their work and evaluate the impact of premium generative AI tools. During the six month trial period, colleagues will need to provide feedback on their use and agree to light usage monitoring to identify changes in productivity. 

Note on data 

The pilot is currently underway, with no further licenses available
Both tools are suitable for all confidential and personally identifiable information. We have an agreement with both OpenAI and Microsoft to not use the University data for training, finetuning or evaluating their models.  

Note on development of custom bots (GPTs) and prototyping 

The pilot is currently underway, with no further licenses available
Our licenses allow for the development and sharing of customised bots (GPTs). These bots can only be used by other users of the paid services (including across Teams) but not by users of the free version of ChatGPT or Copilot. They are compatible but not transferable between services. They cannot be used once subscription ends but can be used as prototypes for custom bots developed using the API. API access is not part of this pilot but can be procured separately by participating teams or individuals. 

Our subscription to these tools are intended primarily for University use, however in the interest of full exploration and understanding of use cases, we encourage wide testing within the terms of service. 

Contact us 


AIMLSupportCentre@it.ox.ac.uk 

 

Expression of Interest form 


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