Duke's Microsoft CoPilot

Table of contents
What is CoPilot?
Getting started with CoPilot in Firefox/Google Chrome/Safari
Utilizing additional CoPilot features via the Microsoft Edge browser
Accessing CoPilot on a mobile device
Helpful resources
 What is CoPilot?

CoPilot, formerly known as Bing Chat, is an AI chatbot that is accessed from your web browser. CoPilot uses the same underlying OpenAI model – GPT4 - that is used in the paid “ChatGPT Plus” subscription, but is available for free for all members of the Duke Community via our Microsoft agreement.

CoPilot is capable of:

  • Helping draft a wide array of content including professional emails and announcements, code snipppets, personalized recommendations, and much more.
  • Retrieving, organizing, or summarizing vasts amounts of information.
  • Providing a secure AI experience using the same underlying world-class AI model (GPT4) that is used in ChatGPT, within the secure enclave of Duke and Microsoft’s Azure environment. Both personal and university data is protected.
  • Summarizing notes, explaining concepts, creating tutorials or study materials, making learning more accessible and personalized for each student.
  • Designing assignments, finding gaps in student comprehension, or acting as a student to test assignments or projects before using them in class.
  • Translating multiple languages, offering precise translations and localizations, essential for accessibility and global communication.

Limitations of Generative AI

While AI tools are impressive, there are still some limitations and considerations to keep in mind as you are using them:

- Accuracy
While the tools are getting better by the day, AI still has a habit of occasionally “hallucinating” or making mistakes when it doesn’t know how to respond, or doesn’t have access to correct information. These hallucinations are usually presented as fact, so it’s important to validate information.

- Bias
Generative AI models are trained on vast datasets that could contain biased or unethical content. This can lead to the generation of responses that may contain the same biased, discriminatory, or harmful content.

- Coherence
While this is a quickly improving area, AI can often struggle to maintain coherence over long texts or complex subject matters. For example, while it may do a great job writing a short story, asking it to write a book may result in continuity errors or other issues.

- Novelty
While AI output may seem unique and new, it is actually remixing or reinterpretating existing patterns of information and data. Current AI models still lag behind human creativity and innovative thinking.

- Ethical Considerations
Generative AI presents a variety of ethical questions and challenges, including issues around ownership, copyright, and consent of the use of training data. There are also concerns about the authorship of resulting generated content, and the use of AI for creating manipulative of deceptive content.

Getting started with CoPilot in Firefox/Google Chrome/Safari

CoPilot is accessible through any internet browser, by visiting copilot.microsoft.com, logging into your Microsoft account, and authenticating your Duke account.

  • Click on the login button located in the top right-hand corner of the screen. You'll then be prompted to sign into your Duke account by selecting the 'work/school account' option.
  • Input your NetID@duke.edu and you will be taken to Duke's Shibboleth login screen where you can log into your Duke account.
  • Once logged in, a Duke logo and a green “Protected” label on the top of the screen, indicates that you have full access to the power of GPT4 in a secure environment provided by Microsoft and Duke.

You can now try CoPilot by selecting one of the example prompts or beginning your own chat. You can choose the conversation style for your chat by selecting one of the options above the prompt box, depending on your use case.


Utilizing additional CoPilot features via the Microsoft Edge browser

CoPilot offers additional features when you use it in the Microsoft Edge browser. You can access Copilot directly from the Edge browser sidebar. After signing in and selecting the Copilot icon, you can receive assistance with various tasks, including answering questions related to the page you’re viewing, performing searches, and summarizing content.

When shopping or researching products, users can ask Copilot to compare features in the sidebar, or summarize more types of documents, including PDFs and longer website content. This makes it easier to consume dense information online.

 Click here if you need to download Edge on your Mac.

After you open Edge, sign into your Microsoft 365 account by clicking on the 'sign-in' button on the right side of the browser or the profile picture in the top left-hand corner of the browser.

Once you log in, you will be directed to Microsoft's login page where you can enter your Microsoft username as NetID@duke.edu.

You will be directed to Duke's Shibboleth login screen where you can log into your Duke account as your normally would.

To access additional features in Edge, locate the sidebar positioned on the right-hand side of your screen. The primary icon featured at the top of this sidebar is CoPilot's icon, which, when clicked, will open a window where you can enter an AI prompt.

Accessing CoPilot on a mobile device

Microsoft has developed a mobile app that allows you to use the AI while on the go.
To get the app, head over to the (iPhone) App store or (Android) Google Play store, and search for "Microsoft CoPilot". After you download the app, you will be prompted to sign in to your Microsoft account.

Type your NetID@duke.edu as the username, and you will be brought to the Duke login screen where you can log in as you normally would.






Helpful resources
Microsoft's official CoPilot page & FAQ - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/features/copilot?form=MA13FJ
In-depth beginner's guide to CoPilot - https://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/business/how-to-use-bing-ai-chat

NOTE:

There are two types of Copilot.

1. The free Copilot, which is available to everyone at Duke / Duke Health is Microsoft Copilot. This used to be referred to as Copilot in Bing, but now it's just Microsoft Copilot:
https://prodduke.sharepoint.com/sites/DHTS/SitePages/Microsoft-Bing-Chat-Enterprise.aspx

2. Microsoft 365 Copilot, which is available for $27/month. You can purchase a license with a cost center / fund code at https://software-manager.oit.duke.edu/products/8

* In order to use Copilot in Outlook you need the paid Microsoft 365 Copilot license.  

* You cannot use personal funds to pay for Duke's instance of Microsoft 365 Copilot.

 

 
If you need further assistance, contact your local IT support group/person
You can also contact your appropriate Service Desk:
Duke Health Users: DHTS Service Desk - 919 684 2243 - https://www.dukehealth.org/contact-us/technical-support
University Users: OIT Service Desk - 919 684 2200 - https://oit.duke.edu/help/

Article number: KB0037525

Valid to: December 26, 2025