Microsoft Copilot

This article explains what Microsoft 365 Copilot is used for, what the Edge Copilot you already have can do, the key differences between them and when to use each one.

Microsoft provides two different Copilot experiences that you may see on your computer:

• Microsoft Copilot in Microsoft Edge (included) – A general-purpose AI assistant focused on web browsing and public information for everyday questions.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot (paid add-on license at $300 user/year) – Secure AI assistance integrated into your work apps and organizational data that helps you get more value from Microsoft 365 using University data.

Although they share the name Copilot, they are designed for different purposes and have different data access and security scopes.

What is Copilot in Microsoft Edge?

Copilot in Microsoft Edge is the AI assistant built into the Edge web browser. It is available to everyone and focuses on web-based tasks, not organizational data.You access it by clicking the Copilot icon in Edge or visiting copilot.microsoft.com.

Copilot in Edge can help you:

• Summarize web pages and articles
• Answer general questions using Internet sources
• Rewrite or brainstorm text
• Generate images or ideas
• Help with research or learning

However, it cannot see:

• Your emails
• Teams chats or meetings
• SharePoint or OneDrive documents
• University systems or internal data

For this reason, it should not be used for confidential or University-only information.

What is Microsoft 365 Copilot Add-on?

Microsoft 365 Copilot is a licensed add-on provided by the University for work-related productivity. It is built directly into Microsoft 365 applications and securely uses your UWin account and data to help you get work done faster.Where you’ll see Microsoft 365 Copilot

• Word
• Excel
• PowerPoint
• Outlook
• Teams
• OneNote
• SharePoint

You’ll see Copilot as a side panel or prompt box inside these apps when the license is assigned.

With Microsoft 365 Copilot, you can

Work with your University data

• Summarize emails, Teams chats, and meeting transcripts
• Draft documents based on your SharePoint or OneDrive files
• Create presentations from existing documents
• Generate reports and insights from your Excel data

Get help inside the apps you already use

• Draft or rewrite documents in Word
• Create slides in PowerPoint from an outline or document
• Analyze and explain formulas or trends in Excel
• Summarize long email threads in Outlook
• Catch up on Teams conversations or meetings you missed

All of this is done using your existing permissions — Copilot can only see information you already have access to.

Security and Privacy

Microsoft 365 Copilot:

• Runs inside the University’s Microsoft 365 tenant
• Uses enterprise-grade security, compliance, and data protection
• Does not train public AI models with your data
• Follows existing access controls and privacy policies

This makes it suitable for University and work-related information.

Key Differences at a Glance

 

Feature	Microsoft 365 Copilot	Copilot in Edge
Purpose	Work and productivity using University data	General AI help for web and public content
License required	Yes (Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on)	No (included with Edge / Microsoft account)
Where it runs	Inside Microsoft 365 apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.)	Inside the Edge browser or at copilot.microsoft.com
Data access	University of Windsor Microsoft 365 data you already have access to	Public web content only
Access to emails, Teams, files	Yes (respecting your permissions)	No
Security & compliance	Enterprise-grade security and compliance within the University tenant	Consumer / web-based protections only
Suitable for confidential data	Yes	No