Introduction
As AI tools continue to expand across campus, we are committed to helping you make informed decisions about which options best support your work. This fall, several AI tools will be available or piloted, each with unique features, capabilities, and considerations. The chart below is designed to help you evaluate which tool may be most appropriate for your needs based on the features that each tool offers. As you explore these options, please remember that AI tools should be used with non-sensitive data, so it’s important to consider data privacy and security when selecting the right tool for your context and the type of data you use.
Each tool below brings different capabilities that may align with different types of work. To support your decision-making, we’ve also created a role-based guide to help you evaluate which option may best suit your needs.
AI Tool Comparison Chart
Note: This comparison document is intended for early reference and contains preliminary information that is subject to change as details are finalized.
Click on the links below for more information about the feature, when available.
AI Feature | Copilot Chat | Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat | Teams Premium AI | ChatGPT Edu | Multi-Model Pilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Licensing | No additional license fee | Requires Microsoft 365 Copilot license ($420/user/year) | Requires Teams Premium license ($22/user/year) | Requires ChatGPT Edu license ($156/user/year) | No cost during pilot phase, estimated cost TBD |
Availability | Available now to all Faculty, Staff, Students | Available now Faculty & Staff | Available now Faculty & Staff | TBD, early December Faculty & Staff | TBD, early-January Faculty & Staff |
Large language model(s) | GPT-4 and GPT-5 | GPT-4 and GPT-5 | GPT-4 and GPT-5 | GPT-5.1 GPT-5 GPT-4o | TBD OpenAI Anthropic
|
Web-based AI chat | NOT Available | Available | |||
Access to Microsoft Data (emails, docs, calendar) | NOT Available | Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available Potential future integration |
Image generation | Available | NOT Available | NOT Available, potential future availability | Available | |
Memory | NOT Available | Available | |||
Prompt history & saved chats | NOT Available | NOT Available | Available | ||
Multilingual support | Available | Available | |||
Copilot Pages | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | |
Copilot Notebooks | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available |
Data Security
AI Feature | Copilot Chat | Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat | Teams Premium AI | ChatGPT Edu | Multi-Model Pilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Data Security: Appropriate for use with data labeled university internal | TBD | ||||
BAA (patient information) | Available | Available | Available | TBD | NOT Available |
Integrations
AI Feature | Copilot Chat | Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat | Teams Premium AI | ChatGPT Edu | Multi-Model Pilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Copilot in Word (drafting, summarizing) | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | |
Copilot in Excel (data analysis, formulas) | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | |
Copilot in PowerPoint (slide creation) | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | |
Copilot in Outlook (email drafting, summarizing) | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | |
Copilot in Teams (find documents/info, content creation in chat) | NOT Available | Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available |
AI in Teams Meetings
AI Feature | Copilot Chat | Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat | Teams Premium AI | ChatGPT Edu | Multi-Model Pilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Copilot Teams Meetings | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | ||
Meeting recap with AI-generated notes in Teams meetings | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | ||
Live translated captions - Teams Meetings | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | |
Speaker timeline - Teams Meetings | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | ||
AI-generated tasks & follow-ups from Teams meetings | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available |
Custom AI Assistants and Agents
AI Feature | Copilot Chat | Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat | Teams Premium AI | ChatGPT Edu | Multi-Model Pilot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | Available | ||
Copilot Studio | NOT Available | Included but not yet available | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available |
Agents (custom) with description, instructions and stored prompts | NOT Available | NOT Available | In Testing TBD | ||
Agents (custom) with advanced features like referencing a knowledge base, image generator, code interpreter | NOT Available | Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | In Testing TBD |
Agents with Deep Reasoning (e.g., Researcher, Analyst) | NOT Available | NOT Available | NOT Available | TBD |
Need Help?
Need Help?
If you have questions about how to get started or would like some advice on how AI can assist you with work tasks, please contact the AI Support Team.
We’re here to support your success with AI-powered tools at the University of Iowa!
AI Resources
For additional information on AI tools and AI guidelines here at the University of Iowa, check out the resources below: