# AI governance

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.jetbrains.com/help/jetbrains-console/llms.txt).

[JetBrains Central Console](https://console.jetbrains.cloud/) lets you manage access to AI in your organization, control spending, and track the usage, adoption, and effectiveness of AI in one place.

This page explains the key terms and concepts related to AI management in JetBrains Central Console.

## Principal

A principal is any entity with access to JetBrains Central Console, such as a [user](#user), a [group](#group), or a [service account](#service-account). An org admin can grant AI access to principals and define credit limits and other options for them.

## User

A user is a [principal](#principal) that represents a real person in your organization, identified by a username and an email address.

For more information, see [Users](users.html).

## Service account

A service account is a [principal](#principal) that represents a service rather than a real person.

For more information, see [Service accounts](service-accounts.html).

## Group

A group is a [principal](#principal) that includes multiple [users](#user).

For more information, see [Groups](groups.html).

## Role

A role defines a set of permissions for a [principal](#principal): what they can do in JetBrains Central Console.

For more information, see [Roles](roles.html).

## AI access

AI access is the permission to use AI-powered features through JetBrains Central Console.

On a paid plan, access alone doesn't let a user work with AI-powered features. A user also needs an [AI seat](#ai-seat). For the full list of conditions, see [AI access](ai-access.html).

Org admins control AI access on two levels:

* Enable AI access for the entire organization.

* Grant AI access to specific [principals](#principal).

For more information, see [AI settings](ai-settings.html) and [AI access](ai-access.html).

## AI seat

An AI seat is a unit that an organization buys on a [paid plan](plans-and-pricing.html). A seat authorizes one user with [AI access](#ai-access) to use AI-powered features. It doesn't cover AI usage, which is charged separately in [AI credits](#ai-credits).

> **Tip:**
> Organizations on the Basic plan do not use AI seats.

[Service accounts](#service-account) don't require AI seats to work with AI-powered features.

For more information, see [AI seats](ai-seats.html).

## AI credits

AI credits are units of AI usage. Every [user](#user) or [service account](#service-account) with AI access can consume AI credits within the configured monthly [limit](#ai-credit-limit). On a paid plan, a user without an [AI seat](#ai-seat) can't use AI-powered features and doesn't consume AI credits.

Only usage that goes through [JetBrains AI](ai-providers-jetbrains-ai.html) consumes AI credits. A [BYOK provider](ai-providers.html) charges your organization directly.

### AI credit limit

The maximum number of AI credits that a [user](#user) or [service account](#service-account) can spend within a month.

For more information, see [AI credit limits](ai-credit-limits.html).