Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise)

Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection is an institutionally-scoped AI-powered assistant and generative AI tool, previously called Bing Chat Enterprise.

Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection offers a higher level of data protection for organizations like UNC.

Accessing Copilot with Data Protection

Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection is now available to anyone with an Onyen.

Tar Heels can access Copilot directly or as part of the Microsoft Bing search engine. Be sure to by sign into Copilot with your UNC account before you begin to access the enterprise version with additional data protection.

Ensure you are signing into your UNC account by using onyen@ad.unc.edu as your email address, as when logging into Heelmail or other online Microsoft 365 products.

Copilot with Data Protection does not support “strict” SafeSearch settings. Change your settings to “moderate” or “off” before accessing Copilot.

Currently, Microsoft Copilot supports Microsoft Edge (desktop and mobile app) and Chrome (desktop). Microsoft Edge is the preferred browser.

Why use Copilot with Data Protection

Copilot with Data Protection is a more secure alternative to consumer-oriented generative AI services like ChatGPT, Google Bard or the non-enterprise version of Copilot (formerly known as Bing Chat).

Employees can use Copilot to quickly generate content, analyze or compare data, summarize documents, learn new skills, write code and much more. Instructors can use Copilot to personalize learning, plan a lesson, brainstorm, tutor, communicate, analyze and improve efficiency.

Copilot also offers distinct advantages over other generative AI chat services, including built-in text-to-image generation and reference links and footnotes to make it easier to verify information.

More secure

Safeguarding information is the key benefit to using Copilot with Data Protection. When you use the enterprise version of Copilot, Microsoft does not store or view your chats. Your queries are encrypted, and Microsoft does not use UNC-Chapel Hill data or queries to train any of its models.

Your identity is used only to determine if you are eligible to access the tool. After you authenticate and access Copilot with Data Protection, your user identity information is removed. Copilot with Data Protection does not have access to your Microsoft 365 files.

By comparison, tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard store your searches and use your queries and chat history to train future models.

Basic data protection guidance

AI tools do not change the rules about safeguarding data at our institution. Your obligations under grants, contracts, data use agreements or other external obligations remain the same. Additionally:

• Do not use AI tools for protected health information (PHI), or data subject to HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), or Tier 3 data.
• While Copilot with Data Protection has the appropriate safeguards for Tier 1 and Tier 2 data, do check to make sure any external obligation, data management plans, or system security plans allow for the use of this tool. Those obligations would override any “safe for Tier 1 or Tier 2” designation.
• When in doubt whether something is appropriate, ask. Err on the side of caution until you are certain.

Learn more and use responsibly

Microsoft has an abundance of materials from which you can learn much more about the tool, including

• Overview
• Tips and tricks
• Privacy and protections
• Discussion page

Follow University guidelines about using AI tools appropriately and ethnically. Early in 2023, the Provost tasked an AI committee and subcommittees with creating resources for University staff. Please refer to guidance for employees or guidance for students for campus-specific best practices.

You must also safeguard the University’s and your own information. As you do with all information and tools, comply with federal and state privacy regulations and safe computing best practices. You have a responsibility to exercise due care over any data you submit to a third party.

Technical support

For technical support, contact the ITS Service Desk by visiting the Help Portal or calling 919-962-HELP (4357).