Artificial Intelligence (AI) Resources
Introduction
Artificial Intelligence is quickly transforming the computing landscape and already has or will impact the way each of us uses technology.
We are thrilled to bring these AI offerings to our campus community. Each tool mentioned has its own unique features and data security measures in place, ensuring a safe and productive environment for all clients. We want to partner and support your needs. If you have any questions or want to share your ideas, please do not hesitate to contact us.
UIC Statement on Use of Generative AI
Microsoft 365 Copilot
Copilot is designed to enhance productivity and streamline various tasks within the Microsoft 365 environment. It provides both a chat interface as well as unique integrations into Microsoft applications, such as Outlook, Teams, and many Office apps.
Microsoft offers two versions of Copilot:
1.) Copilot (Free): Available to all clients with a Microsoft account. It provides basic AI assistance through web-based chat and limited functionality within select apps.
2.) Copilot for Microsoft 365 (Paid): Available for purchase at the WebStore, this version offers full integration across Microsoft 365 applications, enabling advanced features such as data insights, email drafting, document generation, and meeting summaries.
General information on the product may be found at Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Features
- Unique integrations into Microsoft applications.
The Microsoft 365 Copilot personal assistant is integrated into Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft applications to assist with specific tasks such as summarizing emails, editing documents, and recapping virtual meetings. - Enhances collaboration while maintaining privacy
By summarizing information across different Microsoft 365 tools, clients can leverage organizational data securely while maintaining privacy.
Data Security
You must be signed in to Copilot with your UIC credentials to protect data. Please see below:
- Microsoft 365 (M365) Copilot
This is the license purchased from Webstore that enables Copilot in Office applications. This is protected by enterprise data protection (EDP). - Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
This is the free Copilot chat. Clients must sign in with their UIC credentials to protect data. This is also protected by EDP only when a client is signed in. - Microsoft Copilot
This is Copilot chat if clients do not sign-in with UIC credentials. This is the consumer/personal version and is not protected by EDP. No university data may be shared in this product.
Box AI
Box AI brings the power of artificial intelligence directly into Box, helping you work smarter and faster while keeping your content secure.
Features
- Summarize Files Instantly
Quickly generate summaries of lengthy documents, PDFs, or reports so you can grasp the key points without reading every page. - Ask Questions About Your Content
Chat directly with your files. Box AI can answer questions, extract details, or point you to the information you need inside your stored documents.
Data Security
UIC has a Business Associates Agreement (BAA) with Box, ensuring that sensitive university data is protected when stored and processed within the platform.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud integrates AI-powered tools to help you create faster, smarter, and more intuitively.
Features
- Search & Organization
Lightroom and Creative Cloud Libraries leverage AI to tag, search, and organize assets quickly. - Smart Editing Tools
Use AI-powered features like Generative Fill in Photoshop, Content-Aware Fill, and Object Selection to remove, replace, or enhance elements in seconds. - Automated Design Assistance
InDesign and Illustrator provide AI suggestions for layouts, font pairing, and color palettes to streamline your workflow.
Data Security
This tool should only be used with public data and no sensitive or high risk data should be used or stored in this environment.
Grammarly
Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps users improve their writing by checking for grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity, and style.
Features
- Real-Time Writing Assistance
Grammarly helps users write clearly and confidently with instant suggestions for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style as they type. - AI-Powered Suggestions
Leverage advanced AI to improve sentence structure, word choice, and tone—making every message more impactful. - Tone Detection
Ensure your writing matches your intent. Grammarly analyzes tone and offers adjustments to help you sound professional, friendly, or persuasive.
Data Security
UIC has a Business Associates Agreement (BAA) with Grammarly, ensuring that sensitive university data is protected when stored and processed within the platform.
Blackboard Ultra
Features
- AI Design Assistant
Helps instructors streamline course design and content creation. - Authentic Assessment & Assignment Prompt Generation
Tools for generating more meaningful assessment prompts that align with learning objectives, intended not just to test recall, but higher-order thinking skills: analyze, create, and evaluate.
- Language Support & Customization
Instructors can refine AI outputs: select which existing course items/documents are used as “context” for generating questions, modules, and discussions, so the generated content is relevant.
Data Security
- Student FERPA data is appropriate for this environment.
- High risk data, such as Protected Health Information (PHI) should not be used or stored in this environment.
LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning features its AI-powered coaching and role-play features, which provide personalized learning guidance and interactive practice scenarios by leveraging generative AI models to process user inputs and provide relevant advice and realistic conversations. The platform also offers courses on various AI topics, including generative AI, and uses AI for safety and security.
Features
- AI-Powered Coaching
This feature uses generative AI to offer personalized, actionable advice and examples from the LinkedIn Learning library, helping learners find content and develop skills relevant to their goals. - Generative AI Courses
LinkedIn Learning provides numerous courses on generative AI, covering its concepts, techniques (like GANs and transformers), and applications across various industries.
Data Security
While this tool is primarily a read-only learning tool, no sensitive or high risk data can be shared or stored on this platform.
Zoom AI Companion
Zoom AI Companion provides in-meeting digital assistance and post-meeting notes and recaps. Some features of Zoom AI Companion may be limited due to our HIPAA-secured environment, but Zoom continues to work on full feature parity and will release updates regularly. Information on appropriate use of data in this tool will be provided upon rollout. This tool will be available to Faculty and Staff with full Zoom licenses.
Features
- Real-Time Q&A
Ask questions about the meeting conversation, and the AI Companion will provide answers based on the live transcript. - In-Meeting Assistance
Get real-time help with various tasks during the meeting. - Meeting Summaries
Generates concise summaries with action items after a meeting, which can be shared with participants.
Data Security
UIC has a Business Associates Agreement (BAA) with Zoom, ensuring that sensitive university data is protected when stored and processed within the platform. Individuals in the PHI group may have limited AI functionality.
Other AI Offerings
AI Workshops
LTS will be offering customized workshops designed for the integration of Generative AI applications in educational settings.
These workshops will emphasize hands-on experiences, concentrating on the practical implementation of Generative AI within a college or department, and focus on utilizing Generative AI to enhance communication, foster student engagement, design lessons, and generate content effectively.
Research Support
ACER conducts workshops to introduce the UIC community to GenAI tools and techniques by providing shared language and understanding of GenAI functionality, demonstrating practical insights of its applications, and mastering effective prompting techniques.
This will be a low code or no-code introduction to GenAI. Moreover, we’ll explore the available GenAI tools at UIC and how to seamlessly utilize them to improve productivity.
The UIC AI Advisory Group
UIC AI Advisory Group comprises faculty and staff representing all areas of campus. The group is broken up into subgroups focusing on disciplines of their expertise: teaching & learning, research, healthcare, and administrative operations. Each group will work collaboratively to develop principles and strategic goals in service of university-wide conversations about the role of AI at UIC and the needs associated with supporting our students, faculty and staff.
AI News at UIC
Get Support
As with all emerging technologies, AI changes constantly. Today, it is a tool that can augment and support many of your workflows, but we encourage you to use with caution and validate all its outputs. UIC does not control or see any of the specific answers and can’t guarantee accuracy from the tools.
If you encounter a significant, unexpected, or problematic response, please share your experience with security@uic.edu.