Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise)
Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection is an institutionally-scoped AI-powered assistant, previously called Bing Chat Enterprise.
Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection offers a higher level of data protection for organizations like UNC.
Who can access Microsoft Copilot at UNC
Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection is available to UNC faculty and staff. Microsoft enabled Copilot for existing faculty and staff licenses at no additional cost to the University but did not include Copilot in student licenses.
Students who have multiple affiliations because they also work for UNC may have access to Copilot with Data Protection, depending on how their account is licensed. ITS is working with Microsoft to understand the potential for student licensing and access.
UNC faculty and staff 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.
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 Bing Enterprise 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.
Getting started
UNC faculty and staff 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.
Currently, Microsoft Copilot supports Microsoft Edge (desktop and mobile app) and Chrome (desktop). Microsoft Edge is the preferred browser.
Copilot with Data Protection does not support “strict” SafeSearch settings. Change your settings to “moderate” or “off” before accessing Copilot.
Microsoft has an abundance of materials from which you can learn much more about the tool, including
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 use those resources for best practices and campus-specific guidance. 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).