At the University of Iowa, all faculty, staff, and students have access to create and use Microsoft Copilot Agents. These agents act like personal AI assistants that can answer questions, search documents, help with repetitive tasks, or generate visuals – all within Microsoft Teams and the Copilot website.
What Are Copilot Agents?
Copilot Agents are customizable AI-powered assistants designed to support your work. Depending on your needs, you can:
Use ready-made agents: Tools like the Idea Coach or Prompt Coach are already available in Copilot. You can start using them right away without any setup.
Start from templates: Microsoft provides pre-built templates (like Career Coach and Writing Coach) that you can adopt as-is or tweak to fit your needs. Templates are a great starting point if you don’t want to build from scratch.
Build your own: For full customization, you can create an agent from scratch by giving it a defined role and instructions.
What Can They Do?
Here are a few ways Copilot Agents can make your work easier:
Document Help: Search, summarize or redraft your documents.
Visual Learning: Generate quick charts or images to explain concepts.
Reference Tool: Point colleagues to shared information, policies, or helpful websites.
Coding Help: Generate, debug, or explain code snippets. Soon you will have the capability for live preview of your code as well, i.e., you will be able to run the code generated by your Copilot Agent on Copilot itself.
Getting Started
Using Copilot Agents is simple:
Go to copilot.microsoft.com and sign in with your HawkID. Alternatively, you can also log into Microsoft Teams with your HawkID and use Copilot in Teams.
Go to Agents on the side panel by clicking on ‘All Agents’.
To explore, try one of the ready-made agents that appear automatically as ‘Built by Microsoft’.
To personalize, click on ‘Create Agent’, select a template and adjust its instructions in the Configure tab.
Or, for advanced use, create your own agent by describing your agent to Copilot in the Describe tab, and it will draft the description, instructions and suggested prompts for you.
You can further customize this agent in the “configure” tab and add features such as Code Interpreter, Image Generator, and up to 4 public websites for the agent’s knowledge. You can also tailor it further and add instructions up to 8,000 characters.
You can also share agents with others and set permissions. Agents can be kept private (just for you), shared only with specific people you select, or made open to everyone at the university. Once shared, others can add your agent to their list with a single click.
Real Use Cases at Iowa
Copilot Agents are already being used across campus in practical ways:
WriteStrong Bot – Built by Dr. Deirdre Egan, Associate Director of the University of Iowa Writing Center, this agent is designed to help undergraduate students strengthen their writing skills. The bot provides feedback on how well a student’s writing aligns with assignment goals, including thesis clarity, use of evidence, and overall organization. It also highlights grammar or clarity issues with brief suggestions. Rather than rewriting student work, WriteStrong Bot encourages revision and reflection, guiding students through the writing process. Importantly, it promotes connecting with a Writing Center TA to receive feedback from a real person.
HawkAI Level 1 Chatbot – Developed by the AI Support Team, this agent guides users through the HawkAI Level 1 Certificate in Artificial Intelligence. It answers questions about enrollment, course content, requirements and objectives. It explains what each short course covers, distinguishes between required and optional courses, and clarifies how to earn the certificate. With its conversational style and clear guidance, the chatbot provides accessible support to anyone interested in HawkAI Level 1 courses. For deeper questions, it directs users to reach out to the AI Support Team. To access this agent, go to this link: HawkAI Level 1 Chatbot.
Things to Keep in Mind
Accuracy: Agents can sometimes “hallucinate” or give creative (but inaccurate) responses. Always double-check before using the output.
Permissions: Agents can only access files you already have rights to.
Flexibility: You can edit, retrain, and refine your agent anytime to make it better.
Why Try Copilot Agents?
Copilot Agents provide a practical way to streamline repetitive tasks, organize information, and make your daily work more efficient. They can help you focus on higher-value projects by simplifying routine processes and improving access to key information. To learn more, visit the AI Hub or review the Copilot Agents Reference Sheet (PDF).
Get Involved and Stay Connected
If you have questions about using AI tools or want help identifying use cases, contact the AI Support Team at ITS-AISupportTeam@uiowa.edu. To receive monthly updates on AI tools and resources at Iowa, subscribe to the AI at Iowa Newsletter.