University of Wisconsin–Madison

Choose Copilot for your generative AI needs

Microsoft Copilot logo
Are you looking to use generative AI for your work and studies? The Microsoft Copilot chatbot is now available and should be your go-to choice. Here’s why: Copilot is free and easy to use. All UW–‍Madison students, instructors and staff can use Copilot at no cost. Just go to copilot.microsoft.com and sign in with your UW NetID. Copilot protects your privacy. Copilot keeps your information private when you log in with your UW account. Unlike public AI tools, Microsoft won’t use what you enter into Copilot to train its system or share it with others. Copilot is powerful and up-to-date. Copilot uses OpenAI’s GPT-4 large language model and DALL-E 3 image generator tool along with current internet data from Bing to:
  • Find answers to questions using information from the web
  • Understand and analyze uploaded images
  • Create images based on your specifications
  • Assist with tasks like creating to-do lists and drafting emails
  • Summarize and combine information from different sources
  • Translate text between several languages
  • Write code and help with creative writing
Copilot is the safe choice for university work. UW–‍Madison recommends Copilot as the approved AI chatbot that follows university data protection policies. When you log in with your NetID, Copilot enables commercial data protection, which is approved for use with public and internal university data. Never enter sensitive or restricted data into Copilot (understand UW data classifications).

How to get started

  1. Visit copilot.microsoft.com
  2. Select Sign in at the top
  3. Enter your UW–‍Madison email address
  4. Log in with your NetID
After signing in, you’ll see your email address and a green “Protected” badge at the top of the page. This means you’re using the secure version of Copilot for UW–‍Madison users. For help, check out Microsoft’s guide to Copilot. You can contact the DoIT Help Desk if you have issues accessing Copilot with your NetID. If you’re an instructor interested in using AI in teaching, the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring has resources to help. By choosing Copilot, you’re using AI responsibly and in line with university policies. It’s the smart choice for your generative AI needs.