BearcatGPT AI platform now available to all UC faculty and staff

University of Cincinnati Digital Technology Solutions is excited to announce that BearcatGPT, the university’s private and secure AI platform, is now available to all UC faculty and staff.

Plans are underway to expand access to UC students during the spring semester in 2026.

Digital Technology Solutions partnered with colleges and units across the university to lead a limited-use pilot of the UC-only OpenAI/GPT environment in late 2024. The yearlong BearcatGPT pilot gave participating faculty and staff the opportunity to explore use cases in teaching, learning, research and process automation.  

“We are partnering with faculty across STEM, law, history, communication and more to develop AI tools that support both educators and students using BearcatGPT,” said Valentine Johns, associate director of UC Clermont Learning Commons.

Johns worked with Digital Technology Solutions to create AI-enabled tutors during the pilot.

“I believe we have only begun to scratch the surface of the immense potential of AI in academia,” Johns said. ”Our AI tools provide faculty and students with a secure and ethically sound option to personalize teaching and learning.”

The post-pilot expansion of BearcatGPT access reflects a commitment to empowering faculty and staff with modern, responsible, and innovative digital tools that enhance the ways they learn, work and serve UC’s mission.

Built within UC’s secure infrastructure, BearcatGPT provides a trusted environment for exploring and applying AI to support academic, research and administrative activities.

“Expanding BearcatGPT across the university is a major milestone in UC’s digital transformation journey,” UC Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Bharath Prabhakaran said.

“It enables our faculty and staff to explore new possibilities, unlock efficiencies, and help shape the future of how we operate as a university.”

BearcatGPT is designed to support a wide range of university needs in a secure, institutionally governed environment. Faculty and staff can use it to:

• Generate and refine written content.
• Improve clarity and organization.
• Support planning and communication.
• Explore AI-driven insights.
• Streamline routine tasks.
• Enhance productivity across roles and disciplines.

All interactions take place in UC’s private Azure OpenAI instance, ensuring data is secure, protected, and not used to train public models.

BearcatGPT is only approved for use with data classified as public as defined in the UC Data Governance and Classification Policy. 

To ensure the ethical, secure, and responsible use of AI technology at UC, review the AI Guidelines at https://ai.uc.edu/about/ai-guidelines.

Training materials and resources are available at https://ai.uc.edu/ai-training.

In addition to exploring other AI tools and platforms, BearcatGPT will continue to be enhanced with additional capabilities, guidance, and resources shaped by the needs of the university’s academic and administrative communities. The university plans to expand access to students during the spring semester 2026.

“Our goal is to make AI accessible, responsible, and empowering for everyone at UC,” said Digital Technology Solutions Assistant Vice President Josette Riep. “BearcatGPT is an important step in supporting our community with tools that strengthen learning, improve operations, and spark innovation across the university.”

• For questions or collaboration opportunities, please email the DTS AI Enablement Team at ai@uc.edu.
• For more information about AI at UC, visist ai.uc.edu.

Featured image at top: UC is celebrating the launch of BearcatGPT, the university's private and secure AI platform. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC