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This page describes the different ways to use Vertex AI in the
GDC Sandbox environment, and how to set up to use it.
Usage models for Vertex AI in GDC Sandbox
Vertex AI is a machine learning (ML) platform that lets you train and
deploy ML models and AI applications. You can use API on GDC Sandbox
in two different ways:
CPU-based: run your workload in your GDC Sandbox user cluster, without
using GPUs. This option is slower due to running only on CPUs.
GPU-based: take advantage of the GPU support included in the
GDC Sandbox AI Optimized SKU, by configuring the workload to use the GPUs
associated with the sandbox-gpu-project project.
The use of Vertex AI on GDC Sandbox is not the same as
Google Distributed Cloud (GDC) air-gapped. Rather than using the specialized
Vertex AI APIs that are part of the Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped
platform, you use the regular Google Cloud version of this API.
You need a Google Cloud billing account to use this API.
Make sure that billing is enabled for your project, and
Enable the Vertex AI API.
Authenticate to Vertex AI API. Authentication for APIs can be
achieved through various methods tailored to specific requirements - see
Authentication methods at Google.
To authenticate to Vertex AI API using an API key, generate an
API key.
To authenticate to Vertex AI API using a service account, create a service
account key json file by following the instructions at
Create a service account key.
After this, you can install the Vertex AI client library for the
language you plan to use. Libraries are available for many languages, including Python, Java,
and Go. The example applications on the following pages include
instructions for installing the appropriate library.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-09-04 UTC."],[],[],null,["# Using Vertex AI\n\nThis page describes the different ways to use Vertex AI in the\nGDC Sandbox environment, and how to set up to use it.\n\nUsage models for Vertex AI in GDC Sandbox\n-----------------------------------------\n\nVertex AI is a machine learning (ML) platform that lets you train and\ndeploy ML models and AI applications. You can use API on GDC Sandbox\nin two different ways:\n\n1. CPU-based: run your workload in your GDC Sandbox user cluster, without using GPUs. This option is slower due to running only on CPUs.\n2. GPU-based: take advantage of the GPU support included in the GDC Sandbox AI Optimized SKU, by configuring the workload to use the GPUs associated with the `sandbox-gpu-project` project.\n\n[Deploy GPU container workloads](/distributed-cloud/sandbox/latest//services/gpu) describes how\nto configure a workload to use GPUs.\n\nSet up to use Vertex AI\n-----------------------\n\nThe use of Vertex AI on GDC Sandbox is not the same as\nGoogle Distributed Cloud (GDC) air-gapped. Rather than using the specialized\nVertex AI APIs that are part of the Google Distributed Cloud air-gapped\nplatform, you use the regular Google Cloud version of this API.\nYou need a Google Cloud billing account to use this API.\n\n1. Visit the [Vertex AI environment setup page](/vertex-ai/docs/start/cloud-environment) and:\n 1. Create or identify a Google Cloud project,\n 2. Make sure that billing is enabled for your project, and\n 3. Enable the Vertex AI API.\n2. Authenticate to Vertex AI API. Authentication for APIs can be achieved through various methods tailored to specific requirements - see [Authentication methods at Google](/docs/authentication).\n - To authenticate to Vertex AI API using an API key, generate an [API key](/docs/authentication/api-keys).\n - To authenticate to Vertex AI API using a service account, create a service account key json file by following the instructions at [Create a service account key](/iam/docs/keys-create-delete#creating).\n\nAfter this, you can install the Vertex AI client library for the\nlanguage you plan to use. Libraries are [available](/vertex-ai/docs/start/client-libraries#client_libraries) for many languages, including Python, Java,\nand Go. The example applications on the following pages include\ninstructions for installing the appropriate library."]]
