What is Copilot?
Microsoft Copilot is an AI-powered assistant built into Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft platforms. It uses large language models (LLMs), including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, combined with Microsoft Graph data to help users work smarter, faster, and more creatively across apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint.
Copilot operates as a context-aware digital assistant. It understands natural language prompts and responds with intelligent suggestions, automations, or content generation. It can:
- Draft and revise documents and emails
- Summarize meetings and inboxes
- Analyze data and generate charts
- Automate repetitive workflows
- Help manage projects and meetings in Teams
It’s embedded directly into the Microsoft 365 apps you already use, so it works in the flow of your daily tasks.
Two Different Models
Web-Based Copilot with Enterprise Data Protection
A free AI assistant powered by ChatGPT, available to all University of Alabama students, faculty, and staff. When signed in with a UA email, this version provides secure, enterprise-grade AI capabilities. It ensures that prompts and responses are encrypted and not used to train Microsoft’s models, offering a safe and compliant alternative to consumer AI tools.
- Available to all students, faculty, and staff with a campus email.
- Prompts and responses are encrypted and not used to train Microsoft’s AI models.
- Labeled as “protected” when logged in with institutional credentials.
- Offers secure alternatives to consumer tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini.
- Supports tasks like summarizing documents, generating text/images, and tutoring.
Premium Copilot (Microsoft 365 Copilot)
A premium AI assistant built into Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams, Microsoft 365 Copilot offers personalized, context-aware support by securely accessing your organizational data through Microsoft Graph. It enhances productivity by drafting documents, summarizing emails, analyzing data, and automating tasks—all within the tools you already use. Unlike the web-based version, it delivers deeper integration, advanced features, and enterprise-grade compliance, making it ideal for departments seeking to streamline workflows and maximize efficiency.
- Offers deeper integration with Microsoft Graph for personalized, permission-aware responses.
- Processes prompts through a private instance of Microsoft’s LLM for added security.
- Requires departmental funding for licensing.
- Approved for unrestricted use by OIT Security.