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.”
