Introduction to Microsoft CoPilot and AI for Research

Course description

Microsoft Copilot Chat is an AI assistant that can help with everyday tasks like answering questions, drafting content, and improving productivity. But when it comes to using it in research and innovation, it’s important to understand the risks and responsibilities involved.

You can use Copilot Chat and other AI tools in various ways, but when you access Microsoft Copilot Chat using your Flinders University credentials, your prompts and responses are protected by enterprise data protection. This means your data is governed by the same rigorous privacy, security and compliance commitments that apply across Microsoft 365, ensuring encryption, data isolation and that your content is not used to train foundation models. However, it is still essential to use AI responsibly. Sensitive information such as intellectual property, unpublished research or confidential data should never be entered into public-facing tools. Understanding what is safe to share and when is key to using AI ethically and effectively in research.

In this session, Dr Fabiana Santana, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Enterprise and Infrastructure), will discuss:

• perspectives on the use of AI in a research context
• what ethical and practical considerations to keep in mind, and
• how AI is influencing research more broadly.

Tom Upitis, Associate Director, Digital Innovation and Artificial Intelligence will then explore:

• how to get the most out of Copilot Chat
• practical strategies, behavioural insights, and an overview of the broader Microsoft AI tools being adopted at Flinders.

Type of course

Information session