AI Studio offers two primary ways to interact with AI: chats and agents. Chats are prompt‑based interactions where you ask a question or give a request and receive a response in real time. They are best for quick tasks such as brainstorming, drafting content, or getting answers.

In AI Studio, ONEchat is place where you can directly interact with AI through chats. To learn more about ONEchat, consult the following resources:

Working with Models in AI Studio

AI Studio provides access to multiple generative AI models within a single platform, allowing you to explore and compare how different models respond to the same prompt.

AI Studio supports models from leading providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google. These models vary in strengths and offer a mix of fast, general-purpose models and more advanced models for complex reasoning, coding, and content generation.

Available models may change over time as the platform evolves. Penn State may periodically update model offerings to ensure performance, security, and alignment with institutional goals.

For a list of currently supported models, consult the knowledge article, AI Studio: Models.

Why Model Choice Matters

Different AI models have different strengths. Some may perform better at drafting text, others at summarizing, reasoning, or creative tasks. Models may also handle uploaded files differently.

AI Studio’s ability to switch between models within the same chat makes it easier to compare outputs and choose the tool that best fits your purpose.

For more information on different AI models, explore the following:

AI Comparison (PSU resource)
AI Studio: Handling Files and Model Interactions (PSU resource)

Understanding Token Usage

Tokens are the units AI models use to read and generate text. Token usage usually includes both your prompt and the AI’s response, so longer prompts and longer outputs will use more tokens.

Usage limits are necessary to ensure that AI Studio is available as a shared resource for all University community members.

You can check your individual token usage in the upper right hand corner of the AI Studio interface. Individual usage limits reset on the first day of each month. Once the usage limit is met, you will no longer be able to use the tool until it resets.

For more information on token usage, consult the Penn State's knowledge article on token usage limits.