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CAIL Sandbox Docs

Sandbox Basics

Core terminology, interface layout, and navigation.

Key Concepts

A base model generates responses from the instructions and content in a chat. When creating a custom model, choose which base model it will use.

A custom model combines a base model, system prompt, knowledge bases, and tools.

A system prompt gives the model instructions for its role, tone, boundaries, and response style.

A knowledge base contains files you upload, such as PDFs, Markdown, and plain text. Through retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), custom models can retrieve passages from these documents when responding to tasks or questions about course materials.

Tools add capabilities such as Web Search, Code Interpreter, and arXiv Search. Enable them for an individual chat or a custom model.

Skills are reusable Markdown instructions for tasks or procedures that you can attach to models.

Roles

  • Admin — manages the platform and user access
  • User — uses the features and resources granted to their account and groups
  • Pending — awaits account activation

Faculty, staff, and student access depends on assigned permissions and course membership.

Resource access. Private resources are available to you and any users or groups you add through Add Access. Public resources are available to all signed-in Sandbox users, where public sharing is permitted.

Interface Layout

Three areas on screen

  1. Sidebar (left) — chat history, Workspace access, settings
  2. Chat area (center) — chat thread
  3. Message box — text input, attachments, integrations, and model selector on the right
  • Chats — chat history. Click to reopen. Hover for rename/archive/delete.
  • Workspace — Models, Knowledge, Tools (requires Workspace access)
  • Settings — preferences, defaults, profile

Chat Controls

  • Model selector (right inside the message box) — switch models mid-chat
  • Integrations (beside the plus button) — choose available tools and skills
  • ➕ > Upload Files — attach images, PDFs, or documents
  • Message actions (beneath a message) — copy, edit, or regenerate where available; additional actions are in the three-dot menu

Workspace

Individual access lets you use resources shared by the CUNY AI Lab, but does not automatically include Workspace. Email the CUNY AI Lab team to request access for creating custom configurations.

  • Workspace > Models — create, edit, share custom AI models
  • Workspace > Knowledge — upload documents, build knowledge bases
  • Workspace > Prompts — save and share reusable prompt templates
  • Workspace > Tools — browse and manage available tools
  • Workspace > Skills — create and share reusable instructions

Next Steps

← Return to Getting Started | Continue to Custom Models →