Microsoft Copilot now available to UW‍–‍Madison students, faculty & staff

Meet your new “Copilot”—Microsoft’s generative artificial intelligence (AI) platform. If you choose to use it, Copilot can help you write text, analyze data, summarize documents, create images, write code, learn new skills and much more. Previously only available to staff and faculty, Copilot is now also available to students. Unlike open commercial AI tools, Copilot provides additional data protection when you log in with your UW–‍Madison NetID. Microsoft will not use your prompts or responses to train its AI models—your data is kept private. However, sensitive and restricted data should not be entered into Microsoft Copilot. Copilot uses multiple data models (including OpenAI’s GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo, and DALL-E 3) to generate written and visual content based on a prompt. Through an integration with Bing search, Copilot has access to current internet data, enabling it to provide up-to-date responses to your requests.

How to get started

1. Visit copilot.microsoft.com
2. Tap the “Sign in” button at the top of the page
3. Type your UW–‍Madison email address into the email box on the sign-in page
4. Log in with your NetID on the next page
5. After you’ve logged in, you’ll see the UW–‍Madison crest at the top of the page and a green “Protected” badge stating “Your personal and company data are protected”

Need help?

Introduce yourself to Copilot by reviewing Microsoft’s documentation: An overview of Microsoft Copilot Frequently asked questions about Copilot Because Microsoft Copilot is a new product offering, we will continue to update the service page as we generate guidance for various uses and audiences. Major developments will be announced via TechNews. The Division of Information Technology Help Desk is prepared to assist those having challenges accessing Copilot, but is not able to consult on topics such as AI prompt engineering, access to specific large language models (LLMs) or other specific uses of Copilot. Instructors: As you explore generative AI in teaching, a series of informal Friday gatherings offers an opportunity to ask questions, hear from campus colleagues and share your own experiences. Next session: April 26.

Policies regarding generative AI at UW‍–‍Madison

UW‍–‍Madison is evaluating various AI features and tools for our stakeholder groups in response to the rapid growth and demand for AI in higher education. Use of generative AI by UW‍–‍Madison faculty, staff and students is subject to UW‍–‍Madison, Universities of Wisconsin and Universities of Wisconsin Regent policies. Please see the Generative AI @ UW‍–‍Madison: use & policies webpage for more detail on these policies and prohibitions. Instructors can find instruction-related FAQs and resources about Copilot on the Center for Teaching, Learning & Mentoring website. The Division for Teaching and Learning also offers instructional resources about Generative AI more broadly.