Artificial intelligence (AI) is a long-established research and scholarly pursuit at Cornell, and with generative AI, everyone in the community has new opportunities to explore AI. Experimenting with AI services is one of the four “pillars” in Cornell’s AI strategy, which is shaped by the university-wide task force reports for education and pedagogy, research, and administration.  

The other three pillars are establishing an AI Advisory Council to help explore policy, practice, ethical use, and priorities; soliciting AI project ideas across research, education, and administration, and establishing an AI Initiatives team to consider and act on those ideas. 

If you’d like to start experimenting, you can now explore Microsoft Copilot Enterprise. This service provides a secure place, protected by Cornell login, to experiment with generative AI without having your chat data stored, viewed by Microsoft, or used to train the large language models.

Available to faculty and staff now (and students soon), Microsoft Copilot Enterprise uses ChatGPT, Dall-E, and Microsoft’s search engine. To get started, sign in with your Cornell credentials to use simple question-and-answer chats in any browser. For the most features, launch your Microsoft Edge browser. Get ideas and tips for using Microsoft Copilot.

Copilot Cautions

Because Microsoft’s search engine is also part of the service, 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). Also confirm that your intended use fits university guidelines for AI.

This version of Microsoft Copilot isn’t the one that works with Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams. Cornell is evaluating the cost, privacy, security, and licensing requirements for that and other Microsoft AI services.

If you’re uncertain whether you should use Microsoft Copilot in your work, check with your supervisor or, for teaching, the Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI).

If you need help, contact the IT Service Desk.