Ohio University’s Office of Information Technology, in collaboration with the Vice President for Research and Creative Activity and the Executive Vice President and Provost, launched a yearlong pilot to assess the ROI of Microsoft 365 Copilot. Around 130 university members engaged in a pilot program utilizing a Microsoft Teams AI channel to share experiences and feedback while ensuring compliance with data security policies. Key findings included moderate productivity gains, especially for communication-heavy roles, enhanced ease of use, and an emphasis on role-specific benefits. Participants expressed the need for more training and clarity regarding data usage, highlighting trust as a barrier. Despite some limitations, there is cautious optimism about the future of Copilot as it adapts to academic needs. OHIO IT continues to promote the exploration of AI tools through an AI Community of Interest group, inviting faculty and staff to participate in future pilots, such as ChatGPT Edu. For more guidance, Knowledge Base articles are available.
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