Overview
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools can help students, faculty, and staff create content, summarize information, generate ideas, analyze data, and improve productivity. UIC provides access to several GenAI resources and services that support teaching, learning, research, and administrative work.
This article provides an overview of AI-related resources available to the UIC community and links to additional information.
Table of Contents
Responsible Use of AI
When using AI tools, members of the UIC community must:
- Follow university policies and applicable laws
- Protect confidential and internal data
- Verify AI-generated content for accuracy
- Cite AI use when required by course, research, or publication guidelines
- Consider accessibility, privacy, and ethical implications
AI-generated content may contain errors, biases, or outdated information and should be reviewed carefully before use.
Using University Data with AI
Not all AI tools provide the same level of data protection. Before entering university information into an AI tool, review the respective tool's data use status (detailed below), privacy protections, and applicable university policies. For details on the university data type labels used in this article, refer to our Data Classifications web page.
Artificial Intelligence Individual Risk Acceptance Terms
The following risk acceptance terms must be reviewed and agreed to prior to gaining access to UIC's AI tools:
I understand that the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) may foster innovation and creativity at UIC. I agree to use Gen AI responsibly and ethically by adhering to the following:
Responsible and Acceptable Use: I have read, understood, and will comply with UIC’s Statement on Responsible and Acceptable Use of Generative AI.
Transparency: I will disclose when and how I use Gen AI in my work and publications, including identifying which elements were created, supported, or enhanced by AI, and the type and version of AI, when required.
Ethical Usage: I will not use AI to create misleading, harmful, or inappropriate content, including but not limited to misinformation, harassment, or deceptive communications.
Privacy, Notices, and Consent: I will not use AI tools to generate content involving personal or confidential information about real individuals without their explicit consent. I will also provide notice to real individuals as required.
Prohibited Applications: I will not use AI tools to simulate, mimic, or impersonate individuals or organizations in a manner that could cause harm, confusion, or reputational damage.
Respect for AI Tools: I will not attempt to manipulate or exploit Gen AI tools in ways that violate their ethical use policies, such as bypassing restrictions, privacy and security settings, or generating prohibited content.
Adherence to Institutional Policies: I understand that any violation of my institution’s policies or the Statement on Responsible and Acceptable Use of Generative AI is solely my responsibility and may result in the discontinuation of Gen AI use. I agree that UIC will not be held liable for any privacy or security incidents and/or breaches of these policies or violations on my part. If a privacy or security incident or breach results from my use of Gen AI involving UIC confidential data, I will inform Technology Solutions Information Security Team at security@uic.edu immediately. I will take action(s) to mitigate the risks which may arise from my use of Gen AI and implement compensating controls as required. I understand that my use of Gen AI may be revoked at any time by UIC’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and/or their designee.
Obtaining Access to UIC AI Tools
At UIC, AI tools will not be enabled by default whenever possible. Instead, individuals who wish to use the available university-supported AI tools may opt in at it.uic.edu/ai-opt-in. Once the opt-in request has been processed, the individual will be able to engage with the currently available AI tools described below. Note that some tools require additional license purchase.
Using AI Tools at UIC
AI tools help with everyday work like drafting emails, summarizing documents, brainstorming ideas and doing light research. Note: Certain licensed resources, including University Library materials, are subject to publisher agreements and may not be uploaded to or shared with AI tools.
Conversational Assistants
These offerings function as standalone chat agents.
Google Gemini
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
| gemini.google.com while logged in with UIC credentials |
General AI reasoning and content creation |
Audience:
University Data:
|
- Conversational AI
- Multimodal Understanding
- Writing Assistance
- Research and Information
- Can be connected with individual's UIC Google Workspace content to use as a data source.
Learn More
|
No cost |
Google Gemini Notebook
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
|
notebook.google.com while logged in with UIC credentials
|
Document-based research and synthesis |
Audience:
University Data:
|
Upload your course materials, PDFs, Google Docs, or research links, and try one of these tasks:
- Generate a deep-dive, podcast-style “Audio Overview” or summary of these dense texts.
- Create an interactive study guide, dynamic FAQ, or a targeted quiz based strictly on my uploaded materials.
- Map out structural connections and outline the topic architecture for my upcoming research project.
Learn More
|
No cost |
Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
|
m365.cloud.microsoft/chat while logged in with UIC credentials
|
Drafting, summaries, general AI chat |
Audience:
University Data:
- Confidential
- Internal
- Public
|
- No training on your data within the institutional environment
- Secure chat grounded in web and organizational context
- Supports drafting, summarizing, and analysis tasks
Learn More
|
No cost |
Microsoft Copilot
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
|
copilot.microsoft.com or Copilot app on multiple platforms, while logged in with a personal Microsoft account.
|
Drafting, summaries, general AI chat |
Audience:
University Data:
|
An everyday assistant that can help with:
-
Get answers: Got a burning question or need info on a specific topic? Ask Copilot, and you'll get a direct response.
-
Conduct research: Need the latest information or a quick summary on a subject? Copilot can search the web and provide concise summaries with sources.
-
Have engaging conversations: Whether you're looking to chat about a topic, need a non-judgmental conversation partner, or simply want to vent, Copilot is here to engage in meaningful discussions.
-
Enhance language skills: Need help with translations, learning a new language, or improving your writing? Just ask Copilot for help.
-
Boost creativity: Whether it's brainstorming for a project, crafting a social post or email, or creating an image, Copilot can help you kickstart and polish your work.
Learn More
|
No cost |
Application Companions
These offerings are embedded within their parent applications, augmenting the functionality of the respective app.
Adobe Creative Cloud
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
- Obtain Adobe Creative Cloud license
- Access within Creative Cloud app
|
Content editing and generation |
Audience:
University Data:
|
- Search & Organization
Lightroom and Creative Cloud Libraries leverage AI to tag, search, and organize assets quickly.
- Smart Editing Tools
Use AI-powered features like Generative Fill in Photoshop, Content-Aware Fill, and Object Selection to remove, replace, or enhance elements in seconds.
- Automated Design Assistance
InDesign and Illustrator provide AI suggestions for layouts, font pairing, and color palettes to streamline your workflow.
|
Creative Cloud license required. No cost for faculty/staff, $80 for students
|
Box AI
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
|
Within Box at uofi.box.com
|
Document-based summarization and extraction |
Audience:
University Data:
- Confidential
- Internal
- Public
|
- Summarize Files Instantly
Quickly generate summaries of lengthy documents, PDFs, or reports so you can grasp the key points without reading every page.
- Ask Questions About Your Content
Chat directly with your files. Box AI can answer questions, extract details, or point you to the information you need inside your stored documents.
Learn More
|
No cost |
Grammarly
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
|
Within Grammarly app
|
Writing assistance |
Audience:
University Data:
- Confidential
- Internal
- Public
|
- Real-Time Writing Assistance
Grammarly helps users write clearly and confidently with instant suggestions for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style as they type.
- AI-Powered Suggestions
Leverage advanced AI to improve sentence structure, word choice, and tone—making every message more impactful.
- Tone Detection
Ensure your writing matches your intent. Grammarly analyzes tone and offers adjustments to help you sound professional, friendly, or persuasive.
|
No cost |
LinkedIn Learning
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
|
Within LinkedIn Learning
|
Coaching and role-playing |
Audience:
University Data:
|
- Coaching
This feature uses generative AI to offer personalized, actionable advice and examples from the LinkedIn Learning library, helping learners find content and develop skills relevant to their goals.
- Role-Play
Practice everyday work conversations with AI-powered role play
|
No cost |
Microsoft 365 Copilot
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
- Obtain license via Webstore
- Access via m365.cloud.microsoft/chat and within M365 Applications while logged in with UIC credentials
|
Providing insights across M365 content, drafting documents, summarizing, meeting notes |
Audience:
University Data:
- Confidential
- Internal
- Public
|
- Unique integrations into Microsoft applications.
The Microsoft 365 Copilot personal assistant is integrated into Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft applications to assist with specific tasks such as summarizing emails, editing documents, and recapping virtual meetings.
- Enhances collaboration while maintaining privacy
By summarizing information across different Microsoft 365 tools, clients can leverage organizational data securely while maintaining privacy.
Learn More
|
$223 annual license |
Zoom (Zoom AI and ZoomMate)
| How to Access |
Best For |
Eligibility &
Data Use |
Features & Common Uses |
Cost |
|
Within Zoom Workspace app
|
AI meeting summaries and transcripts |
Audience:
University Data:
- Confidential
- Internal
- Public
|
- Real-Time Q&A
Ask questions about the meeting conversation, and the AI Companion will provide answers based on the live transcript.
- In-Meeting Assistance
Get real-time help with various tasks during the meeting.
- Meeting Summaries
Generates concise summaries with action items after a meeting, which can be shared with participants.
Learn More
|
No cost |
AI Training and Learning Resources
UIC offers a variety of opportunities to learn about artificial intelligence, including:
| Resource |
Best For |
Eligibility |
Features |
Cost |
| Google Accelerator |
- Enroll
- Log in to Canvas
- Open Google Accelerator course from your dashboard
|
|
An educational initiative designed to provide specialized training in artificial intelligence.
Learn More
|
No cost |
| LinkedIn Learning |
Via it.uic.edu/linkedinlearning |
|
LinkedIn Learning provides numerous courses on generative AI, covering:
- AI literacy
- Prompt engineering
- Productivity
- Responsible AI use
- AI concepts and techniques (like GANs and transformers)
- Applications across various industries
Learn More
|
No cost |
| Workshops, webinars, and training sessions (Coming soon) |
|
|
No cost |
Additional training opportunities may be available through colleges, departments, and campus units.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AI-generated content always accurate?
No. AI-generated content can contain inaccuracies, outdated information, or biased results. Users are responsible for reviewing and validating information before relying on it.