# AI governance

[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, define limits and other options through policies.

## 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.

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 credits

AI credits are the units of AI usage. Every [principal](#principal) with AI access can consume AI credits within the configured monthly [limit](#ai-credit-limit).

### AI credit limit

The number of AI credits that a [principal](#principal) can spend within a month.