AI:Connect: Login
AI:connect is another powerful interface for using language models, which the UDE makes available to its members.
For some time now, the UDE has been offering access via Chat AI through the Gesellschaft für wissenschaftliche Datenverarbeitung mbH Göttingen (GWDG). The service includes both open-source and commercial models, and we are seeing a steady increase in user numbers.
With AI:connect, the UDE is now expanding its portfolio for staff and students.
What is AI:connect.nrw?
The AI:connect.nrw project is integrated into a series of AI projects run by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and DH.NRW. Since 1 April 2026, all universities in North Rhine-Westphalia have had free access to locally hosted, high-performance OpenWeight language and embedding models via the AI:Inferenz.nrw project. This service is based on close collaboration between several universities and the projects OpenSource-KI.nrw (OSKI.nrw), WestAI and AI:connect.nrw.
On the AI:connect interface, we have integrated models from AI:Inferenz and, where possible, from the GWDG for UDE users.
Your path to AI:connect
You can access the interface at: https://chat.kiconnect.nrw/
You log in via Shibboleth using your UDE ID.
The AI:connect interface is similar to those of ‘well-known’ commercial AI chat providers such as OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Anthropic Claude. On the left-hand side, you’ll see an overview of your chat histories and can start a new chat.
In the centre, you’ll see your chat window. At the top, you can select your preferred model from a drop-down menu. The Devstral model is currently set as the default. This is solely due to the alphabetical sorting of the list and does not constitute a recommendation to use this model. The icon next to the model name (Germany, Europe, World) indicates the location of the servers on which these models are hosted.
By clicking the ‘Find out more (i)’ button in the model selection drop-down menu, you can view an overview of all available models, their operators and some of the models’ features.
At the bottom of the chat window, in the ‘Ask AIconnect…’ section, you can interact with and chat to the model.
Costs and voluntary participation
The University of Duisburg-Essen covers the costs of using AI:connect and the integrated models. Whilst Open Weight models are currently available free of charge, fees apply for commercial models. We therefore ask that you use the service in a way that conserves resources (e.g. by choosing smaller, specialised models for simple tasks).
Just as with the use of Chat AI, the use of AI:connect is voluntary and cannot be mandated for work or study purposes.
Further links
• KI:connect Chat: https://chat.kiconnect.nrw/
• Help with the KI:connect web interface: https://kiconnect.pages.rwth-aachen.de/pages/ui-helpfrontend/
• General information about KI:connect at RWTH Aachen University: https://kiconnect.pages.rwth-aachen.de/pages/
• UDE AI portal: https://www.uni-due.de/de/digitalisierung/ki-portal/
If you have any further questions about AI:connect, please contact the AI team at the UDE (ude-ki@uni-due.de).
For further topics relating to AI, you can find your points of contact on the following website: https://www.uni-due.de/de/digitalisierung/ki-portal/ki-ansprechstellen.php