How Microsoft Copilot Can Simplify Your UTM Work Experience

In today’s fast-paced academic environment, streamlining work processes is essential. Microsoft Copilot, an AI-powered tool available to all University of Toronto staff and faculty, offers a powerful solution to enhance productivity and simplify everyday tasks. Whether you’re drafting emails, reviewing documents, or preparing lesson plans, Copilot helps you get more done in less time by leveraging advanced AI to assist with writing, organizing, and summarizing content. But while Copilot can significantly improve efficiency, it’s important to use it responsibly and align with U of T’s guidelines on generative AI. 

How Copilot Can Transform Your Work 

Grammatical Review Made Easy 

Tired of spending time proofreading? With Microsoft Copilot, you can quickly review and correct grammatical errors in any text. Simply ask Copilot to check your writing, and it will provide detailed feedback, helping you maintain professionalism in all your communications. 

Try this prompt: 

“Can you review this document for grammatical errors?” 

Simplify Writing Emails 

Writing clear and concise emails is crucial, especially when communicating with students or colleagues. Copilot can help you draft emails quickly, whether you’re announcing a class time change or sending reminders about upcoming deadlines. 

Try this prompt: 

“Write an email informing students of a class time change.” 

Summarize Lengthy Documents 

If you have a long research paper or a detailed report, Copilot can summarize it for you, allowing you to quickly extract the key points and focus on more important tasks. 

Try this prompt: 

“Summarize this document into key bullet points.” 

Ensure Responsible Use of Generative AI 

While Copilot can greatly enhance your productivity, it’s essential to use it in a way that aligns with academic integrity. Microsoft Copilot is designed as an assistant, not a doer, meaning it supports your work rather than completing it for you. This distinction helps to ensure that the use of AI tools does not compromise the values of academic integrity. 

U of T has created a comprehensive guide on how to use generative AI responsibly. The Using Generative AI at U of T page outlines the policies and resources available to ensure the ethical and secure use of AI tools, both in academic and administrative settings. 

Important Considerations: 

• Copilot should not be used to write papers, complete assignments, or generate any content that would breach U of T’s academic policies. 

• Refer to the U of T’s guidelines on how to integrate AI tools appropriately into your work. 

• Use Copilot as a support tool for brainstorming, reviewing, and summarizing content to enhance your work, not replace your contributions. 

For more information on how to use generative AI tools like Copilot effectively and ethically, visit the U of T AI website for guidelines, tools, and training resources specifically for students, faculty, and staff. 

Enhance Security and Privacy 

We understand concerns around sharing information with Generative AI tools, but Microsoft Copilot ensures that your data is protected and handled responsibly. When you log in with your University of Toronto credentials, your data is considered "ephemeral", which means it is only used temporarily during the interaction and will not be stored or used for AI training. This ensures your personal information, documents, and any other data remain secure. 

Copilot operates within the trusted Microsoft 365 environment and does not access University of Toronto organizational data or any content in your Microsoft 365 account. The ephemeral nature of the data further guarantees that your interactions are encrypted and short-lived, with no risk of data leakage or unauthorized use. 

Feel confident that your privacy is respected while using this powerful AI tool, allowing you to focus on improving productivity without compromising security. 

Ready to Get Started? 

Accessing Copilot is simple and secure. U of T staff and faculty can log in using their Microsoft 365 account. For a detailed, step-by-step guide, refer to our knowledge base article, "Microsoft Copilot: Getting Started." 

By integrating Copilot into your daily routine, you can improve your efficiency, focus on higher-value tasks, and simplify your work experience. Give it a try today and see how Copilot can transform the way you work. 

Next Steps: 

1. Log in to Microsoft Copilot through your Microsoft 365 account. 

2. Start by drafting an email, generating a lesson plan, or reviewing a document. 

3. Explore more features and see how Copilot can support your academic work.