Questions and Answers

Which tools are safest to use?

  • For data protection, Microsoft Copilot on the web and Microsoft Copilot 365 are recommended tools because of enterprise data protection, but only when you are logged in with your Iowa State email and password. Avoid using the “free to the public” version. When logged into Copilot, you can use it for confidential data. Google’s AI tools – Gemini and NotebooLM – are also safe to use when logged in with your university email and password. You can use these for confidential data too, when logged in.

Can I use ChatGPT?

  • Currently, ChatGPT should be for personal use only - not related to work or learning at Iowa State University. This is because Iowa State does not yet have a license for that tool, and any data entered in is not protected. It could be shared or used to train the AI model.

How can I confirm if I’m logged into Copilot and that it’s protecting my data?

  • When using Copilot on the web, look for a green shield icon in the upper right. Hover over the icon to see confirmation that “enterprise data protection applies to this chat.” If you don’t see a green shield, you need to log in with your Iowa State email and password. For Copilot 365 use, you are, by default, logged in as it integrates into other Microsoft apps like Word and Outlook. 

What does “enterprise data protection” mean?

  • This means that the data you upload, the prompts you enter and responses Copilot generates are not shared or used to train AI foundation models. Microsoft only uses your data as instructed by your organization. Read more. 

What is the data protection like for Google Gemini AI?

  • Like Copilot, Gemini at the university also has “enterprise-grade data protection.” This type of protection ensures that – when logged into Google Gemini with your university email and password – your interactions and uploaded content are private. They are not used to train models or shared with third parties.

How can I confirm if I’m logged into Google Gemini and that it’s protecting my data?

  • When in Gemini, hover over your user icon in the upper right. Check that the email address displayed is your Iowa State email. If it's a personal email, log out and back in with your university credentials. 

What about the other tools, like Grammary and Adobe?

  • Verification of data security with other AI tools is in progress. Check back on this page for updates soon.