Service overview
Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI-powered assistant that helps users ask questions in natural language, summarize information, draft content, compare options, analyze data, and explore ideas. Microsoft offers various Copilot experiences; each designed for different types of users and levels of functionality.
The different Microsoft versions of Copilot available at McGill:
- Copilot Chat (included for eligible McGill users): An AI chatbot tool available to McGill students, faculty and staff with an eligible Microsoft 365 accounts. It can be used for writing, drafting documents, quick summaries, basic research and analysis, and image generation.
Important note: Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat can also be used without signing in. However, for McGill-related tasks, you should sign in with your McGill credentials to access the secure version.
- Microsoft 365 Copilot (paid add-on): A paid add-on AI assistant available for purchase by McGill faculty and staff. It integrates with Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote etc. and can use information directly from your emails, files, meetings, and chats to assist with communications, summaries, reports, and analysis.
Who can use it
Copilot Chat is available to eligible McGill faculty, staff and students.
Note: For McGill-related tasks, you should sign in with your McGill credentials to access the secure version of Copilot Chat.
Microsoft 365 Copilot is a paid add-on and is only available for McGill faculty and staff upon request.
How to request access to the service
Request access to Copilot Chat
IMPORTANT: For McGill-related tasks, always sign in to Copilot Chat with your McGill credentials.
It is crucial to login Copilot Chat using your McGill credentials to access the Enterprise data protection (secure) version for McGill-related tasks. A public version (when not signed in) is available, but does not conform to the University's privacy and data protection standards and should not be used for McGill-related purposes.
No request is needed to access Copilot Chat. McGill has a license for the Enterprise data protection (secure) version that protects our data and conforms to the University's privacy and data protection standards.
There are many ways to access the Enterprise data protection (secure) version of Copilot Chat:
- In the Microsoft Edge browser
- In other supported browsers
- Web via www.office.com
- In Microsoft Teams
- In Microsoft Outlook
Request access to Microsoft 365 Chat (paid add-on)
McGill faculty and staff can submit a request by filling out the request form.
Cost
Copilot Chat is available at no cost to McGill faculty, staff and students.
Microsoft 365 Copilot (paid add-on) is a paid add-on available to McGill faculty and staff upon request. To purchase a license and request access, fill out the request form.
Availability
NOTES
Copilot's availability and functionality may vary depending on your Microsoft 365 license, organizational settings, geographical location, device, and browser. If you are experiencing issues, verify that your browser is up to date. For instructions on updating Microsoft Edge, see the Microsoft article about Microsoft Edge update settings.
The service is available 24 X 7.
Frequently asked questions
Does Copilot Chat automatically provide enterprise data protection when I sign in with a work or school account?
Yes. When signed in with your McGill work or school account, Copilot Chat automatically provides enterprise data protection.
Is Copilot compliant with McGill University's privacy and data standards?
The University's IT Architecture team evaluated the Enterprise Data Protection (secure) version of Copilot Chat; if users are signed-in with their McGill credentials, this version of the tool is safer for use.
However, even though users are signed in with their McGill credentials, it is always wise to be careful with the use of sensitive or restricted material with any tool. Personal Health Information (PHI) or Payment Card Industry (PCI) information remain forbidden. The public version of Copilot Chat (when not signed in) does not conform to the University's privacy and data protection standards and should not be used for McGill-related purposes.
For use cases that involve sensitive or restricted data, please log an IT Service Desk ticket. As different use cases are gathered, we will engage in additional assessments to determine the suitability of the tool, considering the use case, the sensitivity level of data, and the quantity of data.
Look for the icon in the top right-hand corner of the window, either the shield or the green checkmark symbol. They indicate that you are logged in to the Enterprise Data Protection (secure) version of Copilot Chat.
| Microsoft Copilot Chat (included for eligible McGill users) | Microsoft 365 Copilot (paid add-on) | |
| Intended for |
McGill students, faculty and staff Go to office.com and log in using McGill credentials to access Enterprise Data Protection (secure) version. | McGill faculty and staff by request only. |
| Core purpose | Secure AI chat (via McGill login) for McGill-related writing, drafting documents, quick summaries, basic research and analysis, and image generation. | AI assistant that is built into Microsoft 365 apps (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook etc.) to automate daily tasks, such as drafting emails, summarizing meetings, creating presentations in PowerPoint, analyzing data in Excel etc. |
| Cost | No cost (log in with your McGill credentials) | Paid add-on license upon request. |
| Access | Access Copilot Chat in:
|
Access Microsoft 365 Copilot in various Microsoft 365 apps, such as:
|
| Login |
Sign in with your McGill credentials to access the Enterprise data protection (secure) version of Copilot Chat for McGill-related tasks. |
Once your request has been approved and your Microsoft 365 Copilot license has been activated, sign in with your McGill credentials to access Microsoft 365 Copilot. |
Privacy, security and responsible use
McGill has approved the secure Enterprise Data Protection version of Copilot for McGill-related work when users are signed in with McGill credentials. Even in the secure version, users should still handle sensitive material carefully.
- Do not use the public version (not logged in) of Copilot for McGill-related purposes.
- Protected Health Information (PHI), Payment Card Industry (PCI) and Social Insurance Number (SIN) data remain forbidden within Copilot.
- Review all AI-generated output carefully for accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness before sharing or publishing it.
- Remove personally identifying details from prompts whenever possible.
- Use content you are permitted to use, and follow McGill copyright, digital standards, and web governance guidance when publishing materials. See McGill AI-related guidelines.
- For sensitive or restricted-data use cases, consult the IT Service Desk before proceeding.
Microsoft states that data used by Microsoft Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot (paid add-on), including prompts, responses, and information retrieved through Microsoft Graph, is not used to train Microsoft’s models when the Enterprise data protection is in use.
Copilot follows existing Microsoft 365 permissions, so it can only access and use work-related information that the individual user is already authorized to access.
Training & documentation
Learn how to use the Copilot Chat productively and responsibly with IT Services’ self-paced introductory online module. Log into myCourses to start the module.
Microsoft also provides resources for using Copilot:
- McGill News – Secure version of Microsoft Copilot available to McGill community
- McGill – Microsoft Copilot and general guidelines for using generative AI tools
- McGill - FAQs for Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Microsoft Learn – Overview of Copilot Chat
- Microsoft Learn – What is Microsoft 365 Copilot?
- Microsoft Learn – Enterprise data protection in Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat
- Microsoft - Copilot FAQs
In addition, a Quebec-based French-language program covering core AI concepts, risks, challenges, while exploring public use cases in administration.
To get started:
- Go to Agora site and click Créer un Compte
- Use your McGill email to create an Agora account, set a unique password, and follow the setup instructions
- Once account is created, select Numérique > Intelligence Artificielle
Support
- For access/authentication issues and basic assistance using Microsoft Copilot within Edge, contact the IT Service Desk.
- For general information, such as McGill available AI tools, AI guidelines and an overview of AI at McGill refer to https://www.mcgill.ca/it/ai
- For more information about using AI for teaching, read the set of approved recommendations from the Senate Sub-committee on generative AI for teaching and learning at McGill and consult the Teaching and Learning Knowledge Base article on using generative AI in teaching and learning.