Announcing Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection

Posted on by Ruth Kwak

We’re pleased to announce the Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection service, a new service endorsed by the campus-wide Generative AI Solutions Hub.

Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection, a generative AI-powered platform designed and created specifically for organizations, is now available for Illinois faculty and staff with an A5 Microsoft 365 License. U of I faculty, staff, or affiliated members who do not have an A5 license can upgrade by visiting the Webstore. 

Previously branded Bing Chat Enterprise (BCE), Copilot with Data Protection ensures that organizational data is protected against threats. In Copilot with Data Protection, user and organizational data is protected–chat data is not saved, and chat data will not be available in any capacity to Microsoft or other large language models to train their AI tools against. This layer of protection is what sets Copilot with Data Protection apart from the consumer Copilot. In addition, Copilot with Data Protection cites its generated content with verifiable citations, is designed to assist organizations in researching industry insights and analyzing data, and has the capability to provide visual answers including graphs and charts. 

While it is built on the same tools and data as ChatGPT, Copilot with Data Protection has access to current Internet data, while the free version (3.5) of ChatGPT only includes data through 2021. 

Getting Started

If you have the Microsoft A5 license, visit copilot.microsoft.com and log in using your NetID and password. When signed in, look for a message confirming “Your personal and company data are protected in this chat” above the chat input box to ensure you are using Copilot with Data Protection. Copilot with Data Protection is currently available to Edge (desktop and mobile) and Chrome (desktop), with support for other browsers coming soon. It is not supported on the Bing mobile app for iOS or Android. 

Copilot with Data Protection home screen as it appears when properly logged in using NetID and password. Above the chatbot, a line of text says “your personal and company data are protected in this chat.
Copilot with Data Protection when logged in using NetID and password

Tips for using Copilot with Data Protection

    • Be cautious. Copilot with Data Protection users may not enter Internal, Sensitive, High Risk, or personal information. 
    • Log in. Always ensure you are logged in when using to ensure data is protected. 
    • Staff use. Content generation, data analysis, document summarization, learning new skills, writing code, and more 
    • Educator use. Aid development of personalized learning, lesson planning, brainstorming, summarizing, and more 

Judicious use. When using Copilot with Data Protection, exercise care when entering information into the prompt. Copilot with Data Protection is being offered for use with Public Information only, as defined in our data classification chart. Internal, Sensitive, and High–Risk data may not be entered into Copilot with Data Protection. As with other services, do not include personal information about yourself or others in prompts. Similarly, when using the service, you must ensure adherence to copyright and intellectual property protections. Additional information on protecting privacy with Generative AI tools is available at Privacy Considerations for Generative AI. The use of Copilot with Data Protection falls within the University’s Acceptable Use Policy and Privacy Policy.

Resources

To learn more or get help with Copilot with Data Protection, contact the Technology Services Help Desk at consult@illinois.edu, or submit a ticket. You can also view the Technology Services Answers KnowledgeBase article or Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection resources.