Microsoft Copilot Enterprise is a university-wide “private” version of ChatGPT and Dall-E that enables faculty and staff (eventually students) to experiment with generative AI text, image, and coding tools without storing the person’s login and chat data or being used to train the large language models.

Microsoft Copilot on the Web

1. In any modern browser, visit copilot.microsoft.com. (For the most features, use the Microsoft Edge browser.)
2. Select Sign in, found in the upper right corner of the browser.
3. Select Sign in with a work or school account.
   
4. At the Sign in prompt from Microsoft enter your NetID@cornell.edu address and click Next. 
   
5. Enter your password at the Cornell-branded prompt and click Sign in. (You will need to authenticate with Two-Step Login.)
   
6. If you have chats you want to save, follow the directions to save your Copilot sessions before you quit the browser, reload the window, or click New Topic.

Microsoft Edge Sidebar

1. Sign in to Microsoft Edge with your Cornell account.
2. Select the Copilot icon in the browser sidebar. 
   
3. If you have chats you want to save, follow the directions to save your Copilot sessions before you quit the browser, reload the window, or click New Topic.

Copilot in Windows

When you log in to Windows with your Cornell NetID you will have the same protected access as Microsoft Copilot Enterprise.

Copilot's Protected Status

When you are signed in to the Cornell-contracted version of Copilot, there will be a Protected icon and the text, "Your personal and company data are protected in this chat." These indicate your login and chat data won't be stored or used to train the large language models.

If you don't see the Protected icon and the text, you may be using a personal Microsoft account.

To remedy this:

1. Either:
   1. Clear your browser cache and cookies. (If you've never done this before, use these instructions) or
   2. Open an "Incognito" (Chrome), "Private" (Safari, Firefox), or "InPrivate" (Edge) browser window.
2. Sign in to Copilot with your Cornell account using one of the options above.

If you still don't see the "Protected" icon, contact the IT Service Desk.

Using Copilot and Sensitive Information

Microsoft Copilot is powered by ChatGPT, Dall-E, and Microsoft’s search engine, which improves how current and accurate its responses are, but also means chats make use of the public search engine where privacy is limited. For this reason, be sure to only enter low-risk data (information that the university has made available or published for the explicit use of the general public). All medium- and high-risk data is prohibited.

If you need a tool that enables you to use higher levels of data, see Ideas, Requests, and Oversight of AI at Cornell for next steps.

This Copilot is Built to Forget

Those who have used other AI tools may have become accustomed to having an exploratory conversation, leaving the chat, then returning at another time to continue your line of inquiry.

Microsoft Copilot Enterprise does not save your chat data from session to session. If you accidentally close your browser window, log out, or Copilot shows an error (infrequent, but it sometimes happens), your chat -- and that history -- disappears completely.

For this reason, you should save your chat session questions and answers, so that you are able to access your session histories whenever you need to.

Share Your Experiences

For those interested in sharing your experiences, understanding the boundaries, exploring the possibilities, and learning how to effectively use Microsoft Copilot, join the Microsoft Copilot SIG organized through Teams, and open to all members of the Cornell community.