Assistants and credits
In short: SciNodes has four research assistants: Atlas (Expert), Sage (Superior), Vega (Standard) and Nova (Budget). Sage is the default. Atlas is listed but locked (coming soon). Higher tiers spend more credits per message, and every chat draws on your one weekly credit budget. Pick the assistant with the button next to any chat's message box.
The assistants
| Assistant | Tier | Available | Credits per message |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas | Expert | No, locked (coming soon) | — |
| Sage | Superior | Yes, the default | Most of the three |
| Vega | Standard | Yes | Fewer than Sage |
| Nova | Budget | Yes | Fewest |
The tiers run from strongest to lightest. A higher tier spends more credits for the same conversation. SciNodes doesn't publish which AI model each assistant runs on.
Atlas appears with a lock. Hovering over it shows "Atlas (Expert) is not included in your package". You can't pick it yet.
Pick an assistant
- Open a chat: in the Research Assistants tab, in a side-panel chat on a map or publication, or in Quick Chat.
- Click the assistant button next to the message box. It shows the current assistant's name, for example Sage.
- Choose Sage (Superior), Vega (Standard) or Nova (Budget).
- Send your message.
How the choice behaves:
- Per chat. Each chat keeps its own assistant. Changing it affects your next message in that chat only.
- Remembered for new chats. A new chat starts on the assistant you picked last. This is remembered in your browser.
- History stays honest. Each reply shows the avatar of the assistant that wrote it, even if you switch later.
- Tooltip. Hover over the button to see "Answering as Sage (Superior)" or similar.
How chat credits work
All AI features in SciNodes, including chats, draw on one weekly credit budget. The default free allowance is 2,000,000 credits a week. It resets every Sunday at 00:00 UTC, and unused credits don't roll over.
What makes a message cost more:
- The assistant tier. Sage costs more than Vega, and Vega more than Nova.
- Chat length. Each message includes the conversation so far, so later messages in a long chat cost the most.
- What's in view. Long full texts and attached files add to every message in that chat. See Attachments and what the assistant sees.
See where your chat credits went
- Click your avatar (User menu) at the bottom of the left sidebar.
- Click Usage limits.
- Find Where the chat credits went. It appears once you've chatted in the current budget week.
For each assistant you see:
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Turns | How many replies it wrote this budget week |
| Credits | Credits those replies used |
| Share of chat | Its percentage of your chat credits (not of your whole week) |
The page notes: "Switching assistant in the chat composer changes what your next turn costs." For everything else on the page, see Credits and usage.
Authorized model providers
Under User Preferences → Authorized model providers, SciNodes explains that it "chooses the best available model provider for each task by default". The controls are locked by default ("Provider controls are locked while SciNodes picks automatically."). Clicking Customize providers shows a "Customize model providers?" warning: turning providers off may reduce output quality and increase credit usage. Choose Let SciNodes pick the best providers to back out, or Do it anyway once its countdown ends. This setting is saved to the current device only. See Preferences.
Tips
- Start with Sage. Switch to Vega or Nova for quick, simple questions when you want to spend fewer credits.
- Start a new chat for a new topic instead of continuing a very long one.
- Remove attachments a chat no longer needs. Their text is sent with every message.
Troubleshooting
- The Atlas row is greyed out with a lock. Atlas isn't available yet. Pick Sage, Vega or Nova.
- "Weekly complex compute budget spent. Resumes day at 00:00 UTC." You've used this week's credits. Chats work again after the reset. See Credits and usage.
- The assistant button has no menu. Only one assistant is available to you right now, so there's nothing to switch to.
FAQ
Which assistant should I use?
Sage, the default, suits most research questions. Vega and Nova spend fewer credits per message, which helps when you ask many short questions.
Can I switch assistants in the middle of a chat?
Yes. Your next message goes to the new assistant. Earlier replies keep the name of the assistant that wrote them.
When can I use Atlas?
Atlas isn't available yet, and no date has been announced. Its tooltip says it "is not included in your package". Paid plans are also coming soon; see Plans and billing.
What happens when my credits run out mid-week?
New messages are refused with the budget message until the weekly reset on Sunday at 00:00 UTC. Your chats and their history stay as they are.