OpenAI API

Department Recharge

Description

OpenAI API provides developers with programmatic access to OpenAI models for approved UCOP business use cases. The API can be used to build applications, automate workflows, summarize or transform text, support structured data extraction, and integrate generative AI capabilities into UCOP-managed systems and processes.

OpenAI API access is separate from ChatGPT EDU. ChatGPT EDU is used through the ChatGPT interface, while OpenAI API is intended for approved technical integrations and system-to-system use cases.

OpenAI API is available in two retention configurations: 

OpenAI API

OpenAI API access may retain API inputs and outputs for up to 30 days to provide the service and identify abuse, except for certain endpoints and features listed in OpenAI’s platform documentation. OpenAI states that API data is not used to train OpenAI models without explicit consent.

Zero Data Retention API

Zero Data Retention, also referred to as ZDR, is the default OpenAI API configuration for UCOP-approved use cases. Under this configuration, API inputs and outputs are not retained by OpenAI after request processing.

Both OpenAI API and ZDR API are approved for use with up to P4 data, including PII under 500 records, when used in accordance with UCOP policies, approved terms of use, and applicable data-handling requirements.

Eligibility

All UCOP employees with a UCOP email address are eligible to request access to OpenAI API or ZDR API with approval from their manager and appropriate business justification.

Ordering Information

To obtain access to OpenAI API:

  1. Verify with your manager that your department approves the use case and will cover API usage charges.
  2. Submit an OpenAI API Request through the Software Request form in ServiceNow.
  3. Include the required project, developer, billing, budget, and automatic alert information in the request.
  4. Once approved, the API key will be sent through GoAnywhere Secure Share email service.

Users must retrieve their API key within 7 days. After 7 days, the secure email will automatically be deleted. If the key is not retrieved within that period, the user must request the key again.

Requestors must provide the following information when submitting an OpenAI API Request:

Project Title - Name of the project or API integration.

Lead Developer Name - First and last name of the lead developer who will own and manage the API integration.

Chart of Account Number - The COA the API usage will be billed against. Required for consumption-based recharging.

Monthly Budget - The expected monthly spend for the project.

Overage Threshold - The set budget is not a hard cap. The project remains responsible for monitoring spend and managing any usage beyond the budget.

Automatic Alerts - Automatic alerts can be configured so the lead developer is notified as spend approaches the budget. Request alert configuration through ServiceNow.

Cost

Cost is based on monthly API usage. OpenAI API pricing varies by model, input tokens, output tokens, tools, processing mode, and other usage factors.

A 10% administrative cost recovery fee is applied to total monthly API usage charges to support platform administration, governance, and operational support.

Requestors are responsible for monitoring project usage and managing any overages.

Resources