Is There a Cost to Using CreateAI For Students?
CreateAI projects use AI models to process requests and generate responses. This usage has a real cost to ASU, but students are not personally charged for standard CreateAI usage.
Student-owned projects receive a monthly token allocation. CreateAI shows the percentage of that allocation used so students can understand how much capacity remains.
Student workers using CreateAI as part of their ASU employment follow the faculty/staff usage limits and guidance for their work-related projects.
What Is a Monthly Token Allocation?
Tokens represent the information processed by an AI model when a project receives a request and generates a response.
Each student-owned project receives a monthly allocation. Your usage view shows the percentage used rather than a dollar amount.
How Is AI Usage Calculated?
AI usage is based on the number of tokens processed and the model used. Different models have different costs, so projects using more tokens or higher-cost models will use their monthly allocations faster.
Am I Charged for Using CreateAI?
No. Students are not personally billed for standard CreateAI usage.
If you own a project, you are responsible for monitoring and managing that project’s allocation. If you use a project owned by a faculty member, staff member, or another student, the usage is attributed to that project and its builder.
Users and app viewers are not charged for interacting with someone else’s project.
How Can I Review My Project Usage?
Open your profile menu in CreateAI Builder and select Usage.
The student usage view shows:
Your active projects.
The percentage of each project’s monthly allocation used.
A visual indicator of the remaining project capacity.
Dollar amounts are not displayed in the student view.
How Can I Make My Allocation Last Longer?
If you own the project and can select its model, choose a more cost-effective model that can still complete the task successfully.
You can also use your allocation thoughtfully by:
Keeping requests focused.
Avoiding unnecessary repeated prompts.
Testing project changes intentionally.
Using higher-cost models only when the project requires their capabilities.
If you are using someone else’s project as an app viewer, the builder selects the model and manages its usage.
What Happens When a Project Reaches 100%?
When a project uses its full monthly allocation, it may be temporarily paused until the allocation resets at the beginning of the next month.
Our Ask
Because AI usage has a real cost, even though ET currently covers standard usage, we encourage students to choose models intentionally and use resources responsibly. Thoughtful usage helps us continue providing broad access to the ASU community.
If you have any questions, please let us know. We’re here to support you!
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