Microsoft 365 Copilot Transition to General Release at USC

USC faculty and staff can now use Microsoft 365 Copilot! 

General Overview of M365 Copilot Features 

Microsoft 365 Copilot is an AI-powered assistant embedded within Microsoft 365 apps such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. It enhances productivity by using natural language to help users create documents, analyze data, generate presentations, and collaborate in real time. Copilot leverages Microsoft’s AI framework and existing organizational data (such as OneDrive, SharePoint, and Exchange) to provide personalized, context-aware responses without exposing content outside your organization’s compliance boundaries. 

Links to more information: 

Notes: 

  • All USC associates can also access Microsoft Copilot (previously called Bing Chat Enterprise) at copilot.microsoft.com with a USC NetID login and password. 
  • Make sure to select “Sign in with a work or school account” when logging in. Accessing Copilot with your USC credentials also includes commercial data protection. 

Scope of Availability 

  • Access for Employees: Faculty and Staff can request approval for M365 Copilot from their local IT department.  Local IT teams should follow the guidelines outlined in the document “Process for Purchasing and Assigning Microsoft 365 Ad Hoc Online Licenses,” which involves approval by local IT leaders and coordinating with the Information Technology Services (ITS) department to assign the necessary licenses. 
  • Students: M365 Copilot is not available for students currently due to licensing costs unless a local IT leader sponsors their access. 
  • iVIPs: Not eligible as they receive A1 licenses that do not include the Office Suite. 

Summary of Benefits, Risks, and Responsibilities 

Copilot offers a wide range of benefits for higher education institutions, including increased efficiency, improved document drafting, automated data analysis, and streamlined workflows. However, there are also important considerations: 

  • Benefits: Faculty can use Copilot to generate lesson plans, analyze research data, and create reports. Staff can improve document management, automate repetitive tasks, and generate content faster. 
  • Risks: M365 Copilot relies on organizational data, so users must follow USC policies and standards for information security and compliance. Over-reliance on AI-generated content without human oversight could result in inaccuracies. 
  • Responsibilities: Faculty and staff are responsible for adhering to university policies on data sharing and security. They must follow responsible AI usage guidelines to minimize risks and ensure the accuracy and compliance of AI-generated content as if they had created the content on their own. 

For more information, please refer to the Microsoft 365 Copilot AI Tiger Team Assessment and the ITS AI website. 

Using Copilot for Microsoft 365 

Please be aware when using Copilot for Microsoft 365 that, like most AI generative tools, the responses aren’t guaranteed to be 100% factual. It is strongly recommended to fact-check all responses and for users to use their best judgment when reviewing the output before sending responses to others. 

When using Copilot for Microsoft 365, all university users must adhere to appropriate data security policies and standards. Learn more on the Information Security – AI web page and  USC Data Security Policy. 

Learn more about AI on the ITS AI website.  

How Data is Used and Stored 

Copilot for Microsoft 365 presents only data that each individual can access using the same controls and access used for your other Microsoft 365 applications. Users can also delete their Copilot interaction history, which includes your prompts and the responses Copilot returns, by going to the My Account portal in Copilot for Microsoft 365. For more information, see Delete your Microsoft Copilot interaction history. 

License Costs and Request Process 

Cost Overview: 

  • The cost for Microsoft 365 Copilot license fee is $30 per user per month.
  • Faculty or staff members interested in using Copilot should reach out to their local IT department for approval. 
  • The local IT team must approve each request, place the order for licenses, and notify ITS of which accounts need to be licensed. 

Steps for License Request: 

  1. Contact the local IT department: Each USC school or administrative unit has a designated point of contact (POC) responsible for placing licensing orders and coordinating orders with ITS. 
  1. Request a Quote: The POC contacts the USC account manager at CDWG and requests a quote for the desired quantity of each type of ad hoc license. 
  1. Submit Requisition and Purchase Order: Based on the quote, the POC submits a requisition and purchase order. 
  1. Receive Licenses: Once CDWG receives the purchase order, they submit the order to Microsoft. The licenses become available to assign when Microsoft processes the order. 
  1. License Assignments: The POC submits a request to ITS Collaboration Services indicating the user accounts that should be assigned the licenses. The Collaboration engineer assigns the licenses to the designated accounts 
  • After the license has been assigned, an email will be sent to the user with instructions on how to access and use Microsoft 365 Copilot. 
  • Click here to view a sample of the Welcome to Microsoft 365 Copilot email. 

Please review the Process for Purchasing and Assigning Microsoft 365 Ad Hoc Online Licenses document. 

Use Cases 

  • Content Creation: Copilot can assist in drafting course materials, lesson plans, presentations, research papers, and lecture notes. 
  • Writing Assistance: Essay reviews, suggesting improvements in grammar, structure, and clarity, and providing feedback for better writing quality. Creatively updating the tone, style, and voice of essays. 
  • Summarization: Summarizing academic articles, research papers, and book chapters. 
  • Organizing Email: Summarizing email conversation threads and prioritizing emails. 
  • Data Analysis: Analyze and visualize data in Microsoft Excel. 
  • Meeting Optimization (via Teams): Copilot aids in organizing meeting agendas, summarizing discussions, capturing action items, and providing relevant information in real-time, facilitating efficient collaboration and follow-ups. 

Need Assistance? 

If you have any questions or concerns about using Microsoft 365 Copilot or need support, please contact the IT Help Desk at consult@usc.edu or 213-740-5555. 

Additional Resources and Links