Terms of Use
Welcome to askUZH! Before you get started, please take a moment to read the following important information. askUZH is an AI-powered assistant in prototype status designed to support you in your studies.
By using askUZH, you agree to the following terms and conditions.
1. Important Usage Information and User Responsibility
askUZH is a support tool and not a substitute for official sources. Please note the following:
- No legal binding: The responses provided by askUZH are not legally binding and are for guidance only. Always verify important information in official documents (e.g. regulations, guidelines) or in the university course catalogue.
- No guarantee: While we strive to provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information, we do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the content.
- Limited knowledge (prototype): It is currently optimized for Bachelor’s and Master’s students of the Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics (WWF), the Vetsuisse Faculty (VSF), and the Faculty of Theology and the Study of Religion (TRF).
- Limitations: askUZH cannot provide binding information about individual study records (e.g. grades, enrolled courses), doctoral studies, or programs outside the supported scope.
- Responsible use: askUZH is intended as a support tool — responsibility for decisions remains with you.
2. Data Protection and Data Processing
Your trust is important to us. We therefore provide transparent information on how your data is processed.
What data is collected?
To provide and improve askUZH, the following data is processed:
- Conversation data: Your questions (prompts), askUZH's responses, and the full conversation history
- User information: User ID and UZH email address for account association
- Feedback: Ratings (thumbs up/down) and comments
- Optional – Memory: Study-related information used to personalize responses (e.g. your study program). This feature is enabled by default and can be edited or deactivated at any time. When deactivated, all stored memory data is permanently deleted.
- Technical access data: IP address, access time, browser information, and other technical data stored in server log files for system security and stability. These logs are automatically deleted after a maximum of 6 months.
Please do not enter sensitive personal data (e.g. health data, political or religious views). askUZH is not designed to process such data.
What is your data used for?
Your data is used to:
- provide and operate askUZH
- enable personalized responses
- improve system performance and quality
- conduct statistical and academic analysis
Data is analyzed only in pseudonymized or aggregated form, ensuring that no conclusions can be drawn about your identity. Your data is never sold or used for advertising purposes.
Where is your data stored?
Your data is stored and processed on Microsoft Azure cloud infrastructure exclusively in Switzerland and the EU. Microsoft acts as a data processor under strict data protection agreements. Your data is only disclosed to third parties if required by law (e.g. court order).
Tracking and cookies
To improve usability, usage data (e.g. page views) is analyzed using Matomo. IP addresses are anonymized. Cookies may be used to ensure proper functionality. You can disable cookies in your browser, although this may limit functionality.
3. Your Rights
Under applicable data protection law, you have the following rights:
- Access to your personal data
- Correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion of your data ('right to be forgotten')
- Restriction or objection to data processing
- Data portability (receiving your data in a machine-readable format)
Within the application, you can:
- delete individual conversations
- delete your entire user account
Please note: When deleting your account, personal data (e.g. user ID, email) is removed, while anonymized data may be retained to improve the service.
4. Data Security
We implement technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. Access to personal data is granted strictly on a need-to-know basis.
5. Feedback
Help us improve askUZH! Use the feedback function (thumbs up/down and comments). Your input is valuable for further development.
6. Changes
These terms may be updated as needed, particularly in response to new features or legal requirements. The current version always applies.
7. Contact
If you have any questions regarding data protection or the service:
Further information is available in the privacy policy.