MS Copilot

Overview

The University has chosen Microsoft M365 Copilot as its official Gen AI platform. All institutional funding will support this solution to ensure secure data integration and compliance with privacy and security standards.

Software criteria	Copilot for the web (free)	Microsoft 365 Copilot (with license purchase)
Purpose	Free, browser-based AI assistant for drafting, summarizing, researching and creative tasks. Ideal for general writing, brainstorming, questions.	Fully integrated, permission aware AI assistance directly inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and the Copilot app to support day-to-day work, tasks and productivity. Ideal for analytical and research tasks, high-volume inputs.
Apps integration	No app integration	Edge, Excel, Loop, OneDrive, OneNote, Outlook, Planner, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, Whiteboard, and Word
Supported browser	Latest versions of Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Safari, or Chrome	Latest versions of Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Safari, or Chrome
Limitations	Available exclusively via a web browser Access web data and user-uploaded files only Maximum file upload size (10 MB) Limited custom agents and use of certain features per day Outputs must be validated for accuracy No access to emails, Teams chats, OneDrive or Sharepoint content unless manually uploaded	Requires mandatory training and purchased license Accesses web data and content where you have permissions to view and edit Outputs must be validated for accuracy Conversations and outputs are only retained for 90 days, important chats and outputs should be saved elsewhere in approved repositories
Desktop client	No desktop application	Access through Microsoft 365 desktop apps or download the Microsoft 365 Copilot app.
Get it!	Visit copilot.microsoft.com and sign in using uoAccess credentials	Licences are limited. Faculties, academic units, and administrative units will be notified regarding license availability. Information about purchasing additional licenses will be provided at a later date.
Eligibility	Accessible online using an @uOttawa.ca email account	Currently limited to a defined group of users (as determined by the faculties, academic units, and administrative units)
Fees	Copilot for the web is available at no cost to all users with an active @uOttawa.ca account.	Annual fee per license.
Features	Available to students, faculty and staff Accessible through any modern web browser Does no access your Microsoft data unless you upload it Enterprise-grade data protection and privacy that conform to University standards when logged in with uoAccess credentials	Embedded in Microsoft apps and powered by Microsoft Graph, enabling deep awareness of your work context across emails, files, meetings and chats to boost productivity Enterprise search respects existing access controls, sharing permissions and data policies Access to create declarative, low-code agents Designed to support increased productivity, efficiency, and innovation Enterprise-grade data protection and privacy that conform to University standards Full M365 compliance, auditing, retention labels, permission inheritance
Technical support	For access/authentication issues and basic assistance for Copilot chat contact the Service desk.	For access/authentication issues and basic Microsoft 365 Copilot assistance contact the Service Desk. For questions about obtaining a license, contact your Chief Administrative Officer or IT leader.

Category	Copilot for the web (free)	Microsoft 365 Copilot (with license purchase)
Use case	For staff, faculty and students who want a secure, browser‑based AI assistant for drafting, summarizing, researching and creative tasks that do not require access to University systems or data.	For faculty and support staff who require AI assistance embedded directly in Microsoft 365 apps (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint) to support productivity, analysis, and collaboration within the University’s digital workspace. This version is deeply connected to your uOttawa environment, so it understands your emails, files, meetings, and Teams conversations for context-aware output that reflects your actual work.
Useful for	Brainstorming ideas and outlines. Researching Information: Copilot searches multiple sources, analyzes them, and delivers a detailed answer. Generating or editing text: Copilot can analyze and generate text to meet your needs. Creating images: Copilot can create a set of images based on your description. Explaining complex ideas in a succinct way or step-by-step	Enhancing productivity and creating time savings within and across M365 apps Searching institutional information across account data and shared resources Simplifying everyday tasks by automating and customizing workflows. Getting AI assistance with enterprise-grade security and compliance.

Not recommended for

Collecting, using, disclosing, or inputting personal information without legal authority and a legitimate University purpose.
Making decisions that affect individuals’ rights or interests without appropriate human review, documentation, and due process.
Translating: records, official University communications and content that could harm the University or be a source of litigation, or content that could be perceived as discriminatory. Users should continue to seek support from Language Services for translations
Circumventing confidentiality requirements or security controls.

Naming Conventions

Content created or modified using Microsoft 365 Copilot must follow University of Ottawa naming conventions and best practices when saved or shared in Microsoft 365 (e.g., SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams).

FIPPA

The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) applies to Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Employees are responsible for searching, producing, reviewing, and managing all information under their control, including content that Copilot references or helps generate within Microsoft 365.

For questions related to access, privacy, or records obligations, contact [email protected].

Retention period

90 days

Other AI tools

Units may choose to deploy other AI tools to support local needs. In doing so, it is important to note that Copilot is the only AI platform approved to integrate with University data. Users should avoid entering any information classified as Internal, Confidential or Restricted, including non-public research data, into an AI tool. Data protection at the University of Ottawa is a shared responsibility under Policy 117.

Vendor engagement and licensing

The University remains open to constructive conversations with vendors about per‑seat educational pricing where feasible; however, given the scale typically required for such arrangements, a broad multi‑platform licensing strategy is not being actively pursued at this time.