UIC Introduces Enhancements to Box, Including Box AI
Introduction
The University of Illinois Chicago expanded its Box environment with new tools that enhance collaboration, streamline processes, and introduce artificial intelligence to the UIC community. Box AI, Box Hubs, and Box Sign are now available for faculty, staff, and students with UIC Box accounts.
Introducing Box AI
Box AI is UIC’s first no-cost AI tool, available to anyone with a UIC Box account through an opt-in process. It can search, summarize, and extract insights from individual documents stored in Box—helping users quickly locate key information, create summaries of lengthy reports, and simplify routine document tasks.
In addition, Box AI within Box Notes allows for content creation by generating text from simple prompts. Within Box Hubs, AI can also answer questions about groups of documents, creating AI-powered content hubs.
Users are encouraged to review all outputs for accuracy, bias, and privacy considerations, especially when using AI for instruction, assessment, or external communications. Individuals working with research or protected health information (PHI) that forbids AI use should not opt in.
UIC community members who wish to enable Box AI can submit a request at help.uic.edu/request-box-ai
Box Hubs and Box Sign
Box Hubs:
- Offers secure, collaborative workspaces where teams can centralize files, tasks, and conversations.
Box Sign:
- Provides a secure and compliant e-signature solution to simplify approvals and agreements.
- It serves as an alternative to Adobe Sign, which remains available.
Box Hubs and Box Sign are enabled for all UIC Box clients by default.
Access and Security
Access to Box files and folders continues to be controlled by individual permissions. Users are responsible for ensuring that permissions for files containing high-risk or sensitive data are properly set before using Box AI. Box AI only queries single files or files explicitly included in a Hub.
Learning More About AI
To support adoption and learning, UIC provides access to AI training through LinkedIn Learning. Faculty, staff, and students can log in with their UIC NetID and password to explore AI-focused modules covering best practices, productivity, research applications, and more.
Why It Matters
These updates are designed to reduce administrative friction, support instructional innovation, and make institutional resources easier to access. UIC’s approach emphasizes both opportunity and caution—enabling valuable tools while maintaining oversight, training, and strong data protection practices.
For more information about AI resources at UIC, visit the AI Resources webpage. For additional support or questions, contact Technology Solutions at it.uic.edu/ask-a-question.