Which model should I use?
See the Model Selection Guide for a full breakdown. Short version: gemma-4-31b for general chat and writing, qwen3-coder-next for code, gpt-oss-120b for complex reasoning and long documents.
Are these the same as ChatGPT / Claude / Gemini?
No. These are open-weight models running on UCSB hardware. They are capable and useful, but smaller than frontier commercial models. They work best with explicit, specific prompts. See Getting Better Results from Open-Weight Models.
Will the available models change?
Yes. This is an early access service and the model lineup will evolve — models will be added, updated, and retired as the platform matures. We'll communicate changes in advance where possible.
Can I request a specific model be added?
Yes — email help@cit.ucsb.edu with your request and use case. We can't guarantee availability but we do take requests into account.
Why did the model refuse my request?
Models will occasionally decline requests they interpret as harmful, inappropriate, or outside their scope. If you believe a refusal was incorrect, try rephrasing your prompt more clearly. If the issue persists, contact [helpdesk/email].
Does my data leave UCSB?
All inference runs on UCSB hardware. Your prompts and responses stay on campus — with one exception: when web search is enabled in Open WebUI, your query is sent to an external search engine. Disable web search for sensitive topics.
Can I use this for research involving human subjects data?
No. Do not submit FERPA-protected, HIPAA-covered, or otherwise restricted data. If you're unsure whether your data is appropriate to use, contact help@cit.ucsb.edu before proceeding.
Can I use this for my thesis or dissertation?
Yes, for drafting, brainstorming, summarizing, and similar tasks — subject to your department's academic integrity policies. Check with your advisor or department if you're unsure what's permitted.
Is my data used to train models?
No. Your conversations are not used to train or fine-tune any models.
Can Letters and Science IT staff see my conversations?
Conversations may be accessible to platform administrators for troubleshooting and service operation purposes, consistent with UCSB's standard IT policies.
What file types can I upload?
PDF, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, and CSV are supported.
How large can uploaded files be?
There is a per-file size limit of [limit — confirm]. For very large documents, consider splitting them or uploading only the relevant sections.
Why isn't the model using my uploaded document?
RAG retrieval depends on your query matching the document content. Try rephrasing your question using terminology from the document. You can also increase the Top-K setting to retrieve more chunks. See the Open WebUI User Guide.
Does document content leave UCSB?
Document content is processed and stored on UCSB infrastructure. It is not sent externally unless web search is enabled alongside a document query.
Is there a usage limit?
During early access, there are no hard per-user usage limits, but the service is shared infrastructure. Please be considerate — avoid automated high-volume workloads without checking with [contact] first.
Is there an SLA or uptime guarantee?
No. This is an alpha/beta research service, not a production platform with guaranteed availability. Plan accordingly for any workflows that depend on it.
How do I report a bug or give feedback?
Email help@cit.ucsb.edu. Bug reports, feature requests, and general feedback are all welcome — this is early access and your experience helps improve the service.
Where do I find out about outages or model changes?