As AI becomes increasingly important to research and the everyday tasks at the Lab, the ScienceIT team has evaluated a range of AI tools and developed options to support the diverse needs of the Lab community.
Beyond our core CBorg API, Berkeley Lab offers access to a suite of commercial AI promotions, subscriptions and workspace integrations. For detailed information, available models and enrollment instructions, please visit CBorg Subscriptions.
Currently, Berkeley Lab has researched these limited-time trial offers tailored for our research community:
- Google Gemini Enterprise & Antigravity: Free through March 2027 (includes AGY 2.0, CLI, and VSCode integration)
- ChatGPT Rosalind: Free with 40,000 credits/month through Jan 2027 for biosciences.
- Claude for Science: One year of free Claude Team access for eligible PIs.
- ChatGPT Enterprise: Free with 40,000 credits/month until Sept 30, 2026, ending soon.
In addition to complementary offers, the Lab community have access to the following paid options:
- Anthropic Claude Team: Annual subscriptions priced at $20/month (1x) or $100/month (5x) per seat.
- ChatGPT Pro / Business: Contact IT Software Procurement at licensing@lbl.gov for custom pricing and licensing support.
- Google Gemini AI Studio: Includes $25/month in free usage (requires an active Google Cloud Project with a PID).
- ChatGPT Enterprise: Funding models will transition to usage-based billing beginning October 1, 2026.
Current ChatGPT Enterprise users should be aware of several important changing as they transition from the complimentary tier to usage-based starting October 1, 2026:
- Continued Workspace Access: The Enterprise workspace will remain fully operational, enabling users to access ChatGPT via Berkeley Lab’s centrally managed workspace beyond September 30. Existing chats and saved work will remain preserved during and after this transition.
- Discounted Usage Rates: Berkeley Lab has secured a 50% discount off standard commercial usage rates. Additionally, Science IT is evaluating options for a baseline tier, with further details to follow.
- Streamlined Billing Portal: Funded accounts with approved PID and Activity IDwill manage recharges through a forthcoming billing portal.
“These AI options allow Lab researchers and staff to select the tier of access best suited to their operational needs and budget, while securing substantial savings and complimentary options for the Laboratory,” stated Wei Feinstein, Head of the Science IT Department, IT Division. “In parallel, Science IT is working to deploy larger self-hosted models to further optimize token expenditures across the organization.”
Lastly, Google Workspace tools are automatically available to all Lab staff without additional requests, and are a cornerstone for collaboration and productivity for all teams:
- Gemini Chat: Access Google’s AI models directly at gemini.google.com.
- Gemini Notebook (NotebookLM): Research and organize documents at notebooklm.google.com.
Given the fast pace of the AI landscape, ScienceIT is always reviewing and updating AI offers and new capabilities You can always check CBorg Subscriptions for the latest updates and information on AI offers. If you have any additional questions, please contact us at scienceIT@lbl.org.
