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In this guide, you will find instructions on how to use Microsoft Copilot on using the Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome web browser.

Watch this introductory video by Karl Rammo, an analyst at the University of Tartu's IT department, about Microsoft Copilot.


If you are experiencing login or license issues, please create a ticket in the IT helpdesk requests portal.

Microsoft Copilot (formerly known as Bing Chat) is an artificial intelligence-based chatbot, for employees and students of the University of Tartu, which ensures that the data used in conversations is protected and does not leak outside the organization.It means that:

  • Chat data is not saved
  • Microsoft has no access to or right to use the data
  • The data is not used to train AI models

Users can choose between different conversation styles depending on the type of answers they want to receive:

  • creative: original and imaginative chat, longer and more detailed
  • balanced: informative and friendly chat that tries to find a good balance between creativity and precision
  • percise: concise and straightforward chat

Make sure that you have completed the following steps:

  • You are using the Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome web browser
  • You have logged in Bing with a UT user account
  • The Protected icon appears when using Bing Chat

When using the Copilot user interface, it's important to consider the following aspects:

  • Copilot is an innovative product that is constantly in testing and development phase. Therefore, the user experience can change over time.
  • The Copilot user interface is managed by Microsoft, and the University of Tartu's Department of Information Technology is not responsible for its stability. Users are advised to expect possible glitches and updates.
  • Certain functionalities and visual aspects may change, disappear, or reappear over time, which is typical for continuously evolving software.

NB!

  • You cannot use the Enterprise version when using Edge with a personal account.
  • Microsoft Copilot (Bing Chat Enterprise) can only be used with Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome
  • To use these features on MacOS, iOS and Android devices, install Microsoft Edge here.

Setup

  1. Open the Microsoft Edge web browser.
  2. Go to https://copilot.microsoft.com/ and click the Sign in button.
  3. Log in using your University of Tartu user account (in the format username@ut.ee).
  4. Click the three stripes button  and select SafeSearch.
  5. In the SafeSearch tab, select Moderate and click the Save button.
  6. Make sure there is a Protected icon at the top right of the screen.
  1. Open the Microsoft Edge web browser.
  2. Click on the profile picture icon on the top left corner of the screen.
    If the user username@ut.ee is immediately displayed, select it, otherwise log in by selecting Add new account → Sign in to synchronize data.
  3. Log in with a University of Tartu user account (in the format username@ut.ee)
  4. Click the Bing Chat icon on the top right.
  5. Make sure the extension has a Protected icon at the top left.

For more information, check How to use Bing in sidebar.

  1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
  2. Go to https://copilot.microsoft.com/ and click the Sign in button.
  3. Log in using your University of Tartu user account (in the format username@ut.ee).
  4. Click the three stripes button  and select SafeSearch.
  5. In the SafeSearch tab, select Moderate and click the Save button.
  6. Make sure there is a Protected icon at the top right of the screen.

Guides

When interacting with artificial intelligence (AI), it is possible to improve the outcome by being as precise and specific as possible when giving commands. 

When entering a command, consider the following details: 

  • Ask AI to assume a role or specify your own role as the questioner
    • For example: act like a chief specialist in charge of educational programs and teaching methodology development. 
    • Specify yourself, what role or field you are in and what you are dealing with. For example: I am a lecturer trying to update the content of my materials science courses and I have extensive knowledge of nanotechnology. This helps AI take into account your specific field and perspective. 
  • Objective: You can instruct the AI with input about the objective.
    • For example: your task is to review and update the course content to meet modern educational standards and students' needs. 
    • Develop an action plan based on feedback and studies from your course. 
    • Analyze the meeting notes and adjust as necessary. 
  • Specify the target group: Who are you seeking AI input for?
    • For example: my main target group is the students of the University of Tartu. 
  • Limitations: Set boundaries within which the AI should respond.
    • For example: respond with a maximum of 500 words or try to communicate the message as clearly and concisely as possible. 
    • Keep in mind that an AI command can be a maximum of 4000 characters and using the Notes functionality up to 18000 characters, which allows for more thorough analysis and proposal presentation. 
  • Clarity and specificity: Provide very precise instructions that describe what the AI should take into account when responding. Be as specific as possible about tasks, expectations, and desired outcomes. Use input files and texts that describe the necessary context if needed. 
    • Use simple but more formal language. 
    • Use clear and understandable language: avoid slang and colloquial language, which may reduce the quality of the AI's response. 

What else to consider when asking from AI? 

  • Be clear and precise: provide possibly precise instructions about what the task involves, explain the data context and requirements for the results. Leave as little room for interpretation as possible.
  • Give examples: use high-quality and diverse examples to direct the AI to generate more relevant and precise responses.
  • Be descriptive: use analogies and provide details that help explain a concept or notion better.
  • Do not assume prior knowledge: do not assume that the AI has knowledge outside the given instructions. Always provide context and set expectations.
  • Adjust a successful guide: if you have created a guide that works well for one task, try using it as a template and adjust it for similar tasks.
    • For example: Create a lesson plan [for the course and level] that meets [standards] and focuses on [topic]. The lesson should include [a list of required parts]. It should be structured [according to requirements]. (copy to the Copilot window) 

More information can be found on the page Microsoft Education AI-Toolkit (starting on page 73). 

Microsoft Copilot (Bing Chat Enterprise) can be used to summarize content from websites, PDFs, and Microsoft applications (be sure to open these files in online versions for optimal communication).

  1. Open the Bing Chat Enterprise Microsoft Edge extension → click the More options button → select Notification and App settings → select Allow access to any website or PDF.
  2. Open the desired web page, PDF or content in a Microsoft application and click Generate page summary in the Bing Chat Enterprise Microsoft Edge extension.
  3. Bing Chat generates a summary based on the content of the web page.
  4. You can also export the answer as a PDF. To do this, press the Export button and select PDF.
    Soovi korral saad vastuse eksportida ka PDF-ina. Selleks vajuta nupule Export ja vali PDF.

DALL-E 3, OpenAI's latest and most powerful text-to-image model, is available in Bing Chat. Bing Image Creator creates illustrated stories, social media content thumbnails, desktop backgrounds, design inspiration and more.

Make sure that you are logged in to the Bing environment with your UT user account (in the format username@ut.ee) and that you have a valid Bing Chat Enterprise license!

  1. Go to https://bing.com/create.

  2. Enter the prompt in the format "create an image of a cat as the University of Tartu mascot" and click Join & Create.
    Generating an image may take a while.

For more information, check Microsoft Bing Blogs: DALL-E 3 now available in Bing Chat and Bing.com/create, for free!

In comparison, the protected version of Microsoft Copilot, which is available for free for companies and university employees, and ChatGPT Plus, which is the paid version of ChatGPT.

Similarities:

  1. Language models: Both use the latest and most capable models, including GPT-4 and DALL-E 3 image generators.
  2. User Interface: Both have a user-friendly text-based user interface.
  3. Two-way communication: Both Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT Plus enable two-way communication with AI, understanding both code and plain text.

Differences:

  1. Areas of application: The protected version of Microsoft Copilot is mostly aimed at text-based communication on the web and Android, iOS mobile applications. The solution can also be integrated in other products such as Microsoft Excel, Powerpoint, Word, Teams, etc., but they may require an additional fee. ChatGPT Plus offers additional options, such as the use of plug-ins, which allow to expand the functionality of the platform.
  2. Communication options: Microsoft Copilot offers the ability to choose between different communication methods, allowing you to tailor responses to the user's preferences from accurate to creative. ChatGPT Plus allows the user to specify the communication style (custom instructions) according to the user's background and skills, and save the communication style for future conversations.
  3. Chat recording: ChatGPT Plus offers the ability to continue with previous conversations, providing a consistent history of communication, while Microsoft Copilot does not offer this feature.
  4. Query length: As far as we know, the ChatGPT Plus query length is 4096 characters, which depending on the session can represent a letter, a punctuation mark or a word. Microsoft Copilot has been mentioned to have queries of up to 4000 characters, but Microsoft has also recently set limits and there is currently no official confirmation of the query length.
  5. Security: Microsoft's Copilot takes responsibility for security, which states that the partner does not have access to or the right to use the data, including not training language models with the user's data.
  6. Custom GPT Creation: ChatGPT Plus allows users to customize their own GPT models, giving the ability to train AI based on specific datasets and preferences.
  7. Response speed: Free Microsoft Copilot response speed may be slower than ChatGPT Plus, which offers expedited responses and priority access during peak times.

Read more:

You can download the Microsoft Copilot smart phone application here:

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