Microsoft Copilot

Copilot in Microsoft products are AI assistants that provide proactive support in the context of your work.  The various Copilot applications differ considerably in terms of target group, costs and data protection.

Microsoft Copilot with Enterprise Data Protection

Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) with Enterprise Data Protection (EDP) is a stand-alone chat application that can be asked for information, translations, creative texts, formulas, explanations and tips. It searches the Internet for relevant results and provides the corresponding answers.

 

Use at the University of Vienna

Microsoft Copilot is licensed for university use by the Microsoft campus contract (EES contract) of the University of Vienna. Enterprise Data Protection is activated by logging in with the Microsoft account of the University of Vienna.

 

Advantages of Commercial Data Protection:

  • no linking of organisation and user information transmitted in the course of logging in with the Microsoft account with the chat data
  • Microsoft does not access the chat data
  • data is not used to train the underlying language model (LLM)
  • no access to content within Microsoft 365

 

However, it should be noted that the service is provided in global data centres, including in the USA, and is not subject to the Data Protection Addendum (DPA) of the EES contract between the University of Vienna and Microsoft.

Data protection-compliant use is given if

 

As Microsoft Copilot is a service provided independently by Microsoft, the ZID cannot provide support for the operation of Microsoft Copilot.


Access to Microsoft Copilot

It can be accessed as follows:

  • via the Copilot website https://copilot.microsoft.com
  • via the Edge browser with integrated Copilot
  • via Windows 10 (if the requirements are met) and Windows 11 by pressing Windows key + C or the Copilot icon in Windows at the right end of the taskbar

    Note: Microsoft Copilot in Windows is currently deactivated at the University of Vienna for centrally managed PCs for the Windows 10 and 11 operating systems.


The prerequisite for use under Enterprise Data Protection is a login with the Microsoft account of the University of Vienna. Without logging in with the Microsoft account of the University of Vienna, Enterprise Data Protection is deactivated.

Information on Copilot in Windows can be found on the Microsoft website.

Microsoft 365 Copilot

Please note: The Microsoft 365 Copilot is currently not released for use at the University of Vienna.

 

Microsoft 365 Copilot is integrated into the Microsoft 365 apps. Copilot can access all data for which users have read permissions. 

Examples of Copilot applications:

  • Teams: AI assistant for video meetings; intelligent information retrieval 
  • Word: creating text content; rewriting sections 
  • Excel: creating visualisations data; editing an Excel using a prompt 
  • PowerPoint: preparing for a presentation using AI; creating an agenda

 

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