AI and ML Competency Centre, FAQs

Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page. Here, you'll find answers to the most common questions about AI at Oxford and guides to ensure you are making the most of our service. This page will provide you with quick and easy access to the information you need. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, please don't hesitate to contact our team for further support.

Table of Contents:

ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot Licences

Troubleshooting ChatGPT Enterprise Login Issues

For SBS Users

For Non-SBS Users

API Access

Getting started with AI Coding Assistants

ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot Licences

Can I get a Copilot or ChatGPT Enterprise licence as part of the Centre’s Generative AI pilots? 

The AI and ML Competency Centre is not funding additional licences however your Department can purchase licences through the Centre.

Can I request a ChatGPT licence outside of the pilot? 

If your Department is happy to fund ChatGPT licences, the Centre can facilitate your order. At this time, tools purchased through the AI and ML Competency Centre are covered by a data processing agreement with OpenAI to ensure compliance with data protection regulations. To order ChatGPT Edu licences, you will need the agreement of your budget approver, and know how many staff you wish to assign licences. Please fill out this form for departments or this form for colleges.

Please note that using ChatGPT Free, Plus, or Team versions is possible, but these licences are not supported by the Competency Centre. Licences must be purchased according to your department’s local purchasing rules. Additionally, for data compliance, you must not use these tools with confidential and personal, since they may not be fully covered under the data processing agreement. Ensure your use aligns with Oxford's information security guidelines by reviewing the following: 

• Third-party Security Assessment 
• Data Protection by Design 

Can I request a Copilot licence outside of the pilot? 

For those interested in obtaining a Copilot for M365 licence outside of the pilot, team-level purchases are possible. Please check with your departmental administrator to confirm whether your team can finance this. The cost per licence is £26 per head, and procurement will be managed centrally. To order Copilot licences, you will need the agreement of your budget approver. Please fill out this form for departments or this form for colleges.

I am no longer using my licence, can I swap it with a colleague? 

If you are no longer using your current licence, please let us know. Returning it allows another colleague the opportunity to benefit from the pilot and use the tool for their research or workflows. If you’d like to return your current licence, please get in touch. 

If someone in your team leaves and you wish to reassign or rescind their licence, please contact us.

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Troubleshooting ChatGPT Enterprise Login Issues 

I'm unable to log into the ChatGPT Enterprise workspace. What should I do first?  

Check OpenAI's Status Page: Visit OpenAI's status page to ensure there isn't a login outage. If there's an outage, you may need to wait until the service is restored. 

Confirm Workspace Membership: Make sure you are a member of our enterprise workspace. If you're unsure, check your email for an invitation or reach out to our team. 

For SBS (Said Business School) Users: 

How should I log in to the ChatGPT Enterprise workspace?

Use your departmental email address and password. SBS users cannot use Single Sign-On (SSO) to access the workspace. 

I forgot my password or previously tried logging in with SSO. What should I do?

Reset Password: Click the "Forgot Password" link on the login page to reset your password. 

I originally created my ChatGPT account using SSO but I'm an SBS user. How can I switch to password authentication?

Contact OpenAI Support: Reach out to OpenAI directly via the OpenAI Help Center and request to switch your authentication method from SSO to password. If they object, mention that the enterprise workspace is on a different ID provider, so you have to login via password. 

For Non-SBS Users: 

How should I log in to the ChatGPT Enterprise workspace?

Use Single Sign-On (SSO): You must log in using SSO. Enter your email address (departmental address), and you should be given an option to log in via SSO. Follow the SSO login instructions after that. 

I can't log in

a. Ensure your departmental email is correctly mapped to your UPN. Misalignment can cause login issues. You may need to reach out to your IT department to confirm or update this mapping. 

b. Correct Email Address: Ensure you're using the correct email address to log in. If you were invited using your User Principal Name (UPN) address, you must use that, not your departmental email address. 

c. Switch to UPN address: If you originally joined the enterprise workspace using your department address, but when trying to login via SSO, get an error message saying that you cannot access any workspaces, you may need to be reinvited to the enterprise workspace over your UPN address. Contact the AI Competency Centre to request this switch. Note: This will create a new account, and you may lose personal settings and chat history, if you have concerns about that, please raise them in your email, and we will try to find another way. 

Issues with platform.openai.com:

I can't log in or access my projects on platform.openai.com. What should I do?

Contact Administrator: Ask your administrator to remove and re-add you to the organisation's account and your respective projects using your UPN. 

I've tried all the steps but still can't log in. What should I do next?

Contact OpenAI Support  

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API Access 

How do I get access to OpenAI API?

We might be able to give you access to the OpenAI API as part of the enterprise agreement.

To request access follow these steps: 

• If you would like access to the OpenAI API, please fill out the request form Requesting OpenAI API Access and explain for which project you intend to use the API. 
• We will be in touch with next steps or follow-up questions. 
• Note that we initially set a $50 limit per month and project. If your project requires more extensive API access, please mention it on the form so that we can discuss your project needs. If you notice you need a higher limit for an existing project, please contact us. 

I am participating in the ChatGPT pilot. How do I get API access?

If you are a participant of the ChatGPT pilot, please note that access to the OpenAI API is separate from ChatGPT. The ChatGPT licence provided as part of the pilot does not give you API access. You may request access to the OpenAI API separately as outlined previously.

Can I get access to other AI APIs?

The AI and ML Competency Centre does not currently provide access to other APIs. 

We might explore access to other tools as part of project collaborations. If you have a project idea that fits into the scope of the centre and that might require other AI tools, please fill out the expression of interest form. 

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How do I get started with AI Coding Assistants like GitHub Copilot? 

AI coding assistants have rapidly transformed the landscape of software development, making it easier for developers to design, write, and debug code. Here’s a quick introduction to these tools, their capabilities, limitations, data privacy considerations, and how to access them. 

Overview of Tools 

Large Language Models (LLMs) do not only understand language but also code and can help with a multitude of coding tasks. AI coding assistants, powered by LLMs, can be integrated into development environments to assist with tasks like: 

• Code completion: Predicting the next line of code or entire functions. 
• Bug detection and fixes: Highlighting issues and suggesting improvements. 
• Documentation: Generating comments and explaining code snippets. 
• Testing: Creating unit tests or validating logic. 

Popular tools include: 

• GitHub Copilot (integrates with multiple IDEs like Visual Studio Code). 
• Cursor, Zed, and Windsurf for focused development tasks. 
• General-purpose AI like ChatGPT and Claude for broader problem-solving. 
• Local and privacy-focused tool sets such as Continue and aider working together alongside Ollama. 

What Coding Assistants Can and Can’t Do 

AI coding assistants can significantly improve productivity, but their utility depends on how you use them: 

What they can do: 

• Save time by automating repetitive tasks. 
• Offer suggestions to improve code readability and quality. 
• Provide support for learning new programming languages or frameworks. 
• Assist with brainstorming approaches to complex problems. 

What they can’t do: 

• Guarantee error-free code: AI-generated code may introduce bugs. 
• Replace domain expertise: You’ll need to validate outputs. AI tools can write queries that mess up entire databases. 
• Fully automate software development: While they can generate entire features, oversight is critical. 

Access GitHub Copilot for Free 

As a member of a university, you may be eligible for free access to GitHub Copilot Individual under the GitHub Education Program. To apply you will first need a create a GitHub account which you can do at Join GitHub. Once you have a GitHub Account here is how to apply to access GitHub Copilot Individual: 

1. Add your university email to your GitHub account under email settings if you did not already use your university email to create your GitHub Account. 
2. Apply to GitHub Education as a teacher, explaining how it will support education or learning at the University. 
3. Once approved, follow the steps Getting free access to Copilot as a student, teacher, or maintainer. 

Using GitHub Copilot involves sharing snippets of your code with the GitHub directly, whether or not your already host your code on GitHub, which may raise privacy concerns. Here are key data privacy considerations for GitHub Copilot that you should take into account before deciding to use GitHub Copilot with your codebase: 

• Data used for training GitHub models: The GitHub Copilot Individual Plan that is available for free through GitHub Education is covered by the GitHub Data Protection Agreement. It is important to note that GitHub do not explicitly state that user data (code, prompts, snippets) is excluded from training GitHub models. Only the GitHub Copilot Business and Enterprise plans explicitly state that user data is not used to train GitHub models. Please see the GitHub Copilot Trust Center details. 
• Data retained by GitHub for further processing and sharing: Individual users can disable code snippet retention in their GitHub settings under Allow GitHub to use my code snippets for product improvements. The Managing Copilot policies as an individual subscriber page provides additional details that confirms this setting controls retention of both prompts and code suggestions. Please note that GitHub have not made any official statement to confirm if disabling this setting is equivalent to the GitHub Copilot Business and Enterprise statement that user data is not used for training GitHub models. 
   

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