Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection is now available to students, faculty, and staff
As with all Artificial Intelligence tools, be judicious when sharing information with the app.
From: Division of Information Technology
Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection, a new generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool from Microsoft, is now available to students, staff, and faculty through their Virginia Tech Microsoft 365 accounts.
Copilot with Data Protection (or Copilot, for short) uses large language models (LLMs) to help with various tasks such as drafting visual media, creating to-do lists, or understanding topics. Data Protection offers enhanced security features for Virginia Tech accounts (for example, removing user information from chat data and encrypting messages), but it does not meet the requirements to allow for use with moderate- or high-risk data.
If you would like to use Copilot, please take note of the information below:
Copilot should only be used with low-risk data. Low-risk data is defined in Virginia Tech’s Risk Classification Standard as:
- Data that is intended for public disclosure, or
- Cases where the loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability of the data or system would have no adverse impact on Virginia Tech’s mission, safety, finances, or reputation.
Examples of low-risk data include information from public websites, or anything that would be available through an internet search, and other information in the public domain.
Using Copilot with Virginia Tech data sets that are classified as moderate- or high-risk is not authorized. This includes personally identifiable information (PII), financial information, controlled or unpublished research data, protected health information, student data, or any data considered critical or sensitive to the university. For additional information on how data risk is assessed, please review the Virginia Tech Risk Classification Standard.
Ensure you are logged into your Virginia Tech Microsoft 365 account when using Copilot for university purposes. The version of Copilot available through Virginia Tech (Microsoft Copilot with Data Protection) has additional security features such as enhanced data encryption and the automated removal of information that could identify you or Virginia Tech from the chat session data. Note that the version of Copilot available on personal Microsoft accounts does not have these features.
More guidance about using Copilot at Virginia Tech is available in our 4Help IT Support Knowledge Base.