Copilot gives UI students, faculty, and staff access to a generative AI-powered platform with enterprise data protection. Copilot does NOT have access to your Microsoft 365 data such as your email, OneDrive files, Teams data, etc. Copilot does not remember the history of what you have previously asked and any data that you submit is not available to Microsoft and is not used to train the model.

Copilot is currently available through a website and through the Microsoft Edge browser sidebar. It will eventually be available through Windows 11/10.

For live training on how to use Copilot, see dates available.

Accessing Copilot through the website

First, you will need to navigate to the Copilot website and log in with your HawkID@uiowa.edu and HawkID password. If you log in with a personal Microsoft account, you will be using the consumer version of Copilot and your data won't be protected.

To confirm that you have logged into the enterprise version of Copilot, you should see this protected badge at the top right of the screen: 

Now you are ready to submit prompts to Copilot. 

Accessing Copilot through the Microsoft Edge browser sidebar

First, make sure you are logged into the Microsoft Edge browser using your HawkID@uiowa.edu and your HawkID password. If you log in with a personal Microsoft account, you will be using the consumer version of Copilot and your data won't be protected.

Click on the Copilot logo at the top right of the sidebar. This will open up the prompt window. Make sure that you see the protected badge at the top of the window to confirm that you are using the enterprise version of Copilot. Now you are ready to submit prompts to Copilot.

Copilot chat tones

• More creative - longer and more descriptive responses
• More balanced - somewhere in between creative and precise
• More precise - shorter, more search-focused answers

Tips for using Copilot

• Think about prompting like having a conversation, using plain but clear language and providing context like you would with an assistant.
• In your prompt, include a goal (What response do you want from Copilot?) and context (Why do you need it and who is involved?).
• Lead with broader requests, then give specific details about the content.
• If you aren't satisfied with the Copilot response, make sure to try the 'creative' chat tone.
• Remember that Copilot is limited to your current conversation. If you want to start a new conversation on a new topic, click on the chat bubble to the left of the prompt window with the text "New topic".
• Make sure to fact check the output - AI can make mistakes!

Additional resources

• Generative AI (short video)
• Prompt engineering (short video)
• How to research and write using generative AI tools (full course)
• For live training on how to use Copilot, see dates available.

Example prompts

• "Create a research proposal on the topic of AI and sustainability. Include the relevant research questions, methodology, and expected outcomes."
• "List 15 unique project ideas for my graduate students in the field of dentistry."
• "Explain the fundamentals of a marketing funnel to me."
• "What is scrum in the context of project management?"
• "Generate 3 social media posts about Veterans Day in reference to healthcare workers at a hospital."
• If you are using the Microsoft Edge browser version of Copilot, use the prompt "Generate page summary" to quickly summarize the website you are currently on.