Research Guides: Issues of AI: MS Copilot (AI for UNI)

Microsoft Copilot - The AI for UNI

Microsoft Copilot
To access Microsoft Copilot:
1. Click on "Sign In"
2. Enter your UNI email address
3. Click on Work or School Account option
4. Enter your CATID password
5. Use DUO to authenticate

What is Microsoft Copilot? [Advice from UNI Information Technology]

Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered tool that can be used to generate content, summarize information, and assist with various tasks through prompt based interactions. Copilot uses the GPT-4o architecture, which is a state-of-the-art language model developed by OpenAI.

What can Copilot do?

Generate Content: Copilot can help you draft content that is tailored to your preferences and stated requests.
Answer Questions: Copilot will provide information based on its training data.
Create Images: Copilot can create an image based on the description that you provide.
Language Translation: Copilot can translate text between languages.
Mathematics and Science: Copilot can solve equations, explain concepts, and provide formulas.
Coding: Copilot offers code suggestions, explanations, and debugging assistance across multiple programming languages.

How to Access Copilot

Copilot is available to all current UNI community members with active CATID login credentials. For help, login to Service Hub and search for “Copilot” for additional information.

Web Browser
- Visit copilot.uni.edu to access Copilot directly from your browser.
- When prompted, input your UNI CATID credentials.
Mobile App
- Download the Copilot app from your app store.
- Select “Sign in”.
- When prompted, input your UNI CATID credentials.

Privacy and Security

When you login, Copilot “protected mode” is enabled. Copilot protect mode is a feature that allows you to chat with Copilot in a safer, more private way. When enabled, your chats and data are not stored or shared with anyone, including Microsoft. This means that Copilot won't remember your previous chats and won't use them to improve its responses. We strongly encourage you to remain in Protected Mode during your use of Copilot, especially when analyzing University data.
UNI’s instance of Copilot respects your privacy. Your conversations remain confidential within the university environment.
Copilot does not store personal data and all interactions are encrypted.
Copilot won't leak any sensitive information outside the organization.
Prior to use please review the IT AI Technologies Guidelines & Procedures document.

UNI AI Technologies Guidelines & Procedures

AI Technologies Guidelines & Procedures by University of Northern Iowa
"The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is committed to the creative, ethical, and secure practice of embracing innovation. The following guidelines were developed to provide a foundation for the selection and appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. UNI acknowledges its obligation to provide appropriate security and availability for data and IT resources in its domain of ownership and control. Furthermore, the University recognizes its responsibility to reduce risk to University IT resources by allowing only appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies on IT resources. It is important to note that AI is a fast evolving technology and, as such, this document cannot cover all potential use cases that may arise." --- UNI

Guides to Microsoft Copilot from other Universities

Guide to Using Microsoft Copilot Chat by Norwegian University of Science and Technology
"There is a current need for competence in using MS Copilot Chat in higher education. Despite constant changes to the tool itself and its usage, the guide developed by the SFU Excited Kateryna Osadcha may be of use for teachers in computing education. SFU Excited organised a seminar to launch the guide." --- NTNU