Your favorite Generative AI @ Pitt tools are even more powerful than you might think. Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat is now built directly into your Microsoft 365 apps and Google Gemini can help you from the sidelines of your web browser. No switching to a separate platform, no need to upload your document in one place and make changes in another. The AI assistance is right where you need it, waiting for you to use it.
Keep An Eye Out for Familiar Icons
Find the Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat icon in the ribbon of Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. When you click it, a chat interface will pop up as a sidebar in your document. It's like having a helpful buddy who's always available to brainstorm, suggest edits, or help you tackle the parts of your project that you're stuck on.
Your favorite web browsers now come equipped with built-in GenAI tools that can see what you see. You can access them while researching, reading articles, or browsing websites. Just make sure it's connected to your Pitt credentials through Generative AI @ Pitt so your data stays protected.
Before you start typing anything sensitive, make sure your data is protected. When using Copilot, look for the green shield icon (labeled “Enterprise Data Protections”) in the upper-left corner or check that you’re logged in with your @pitt.edu account. For Gemini, check for “EDU” in the upper-right corner. If you see the shield, “EDU,” or “managed by Pitt,” that means your conversations are secure and won't be used to train external models. If you’re logged in to a personal account, keep University data out of that chat until you switch over to your protected Pitt account.
Your Favorite Apps, Upgraded
Having GenAI embedded directly into your most-used apps can be a major productivity upgrade. No more switching tabs, opening new browsers, and adding endless draft versions into your chat. Now, these secure tools can see what you see while you’re hard at work.
📝 Word: Your Writing Partner
With Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat in your sidebar, GenAI is ready to help you at every writing stage. Whether you're staring at a blank page or polishing a final draft, it's there to get you unstuck.
If you find yourself staring at a blank page, ask for help generating outlines based on initial ideas. Jot down any notes on context, audience, or overall purpose, then Copilot can help you figure out what direction to go in. The best part — there’s no chance to get distracted switching tabs or opening your web browser.
When it’s time to refine your work, your built-in AI assistant can see your document without needing to upload a file into a new chat. Ask for help rewriting paragraphs, identifying strengths and weaknesses, or even just providing a summary to see if your main points are what you think they are.
Try this prompt: "Suggest ways to make this more concise while keeping the main message."
📊 Excel: Your Data Wingman
Stop hunting for the right formula syntax or getting lost in spreadsheet documentation. Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat understands plain language, so ask your Excel questions without fear of miscomprehension.
This is a true gamechanger if you’re trying to find the right formula, but don’t know where to start. Ask for suggestions in everyday language, like "I need a formula to calculate the average of cells B2 through B50, but only for values greater than 100,” and Copilot will steer you in the right direction.
Visualizing your data has never been easier. It can help create charts and visualizations without clicking through endless menus. And it can even help you uncover insights you might not have seen. Describe what you’re looking for, and it will highlight and filter using the data it sees in your spreadsheet.
Try this prompt: "What trends do you see in the monthly expense data? Show me any months where spending increased by more than 10%."
🖌️ PowerPoint: Presentation Help On Demand
Instead of agonizing over every slide, you can focus on the big picture while Copilot handles the parts you don’t like as much. You can ask for slide outlines based on your topic and audience while you hone your color story, or you could ask for design suggestions while you stay focused on content.
When it’s time to present, let Copilot help you create your speaker notes so you don’t mince words while referencing your bullet point stream of consciousness. Or, summarize and synthesize your content into clearer, more presentation-ready slides.
Try this prompt: “Can you turn these bullet points into clear, engaging speaker notes, related to the content of each slide, that sound natural for a live presentation?”
🌐 GenAI in Your Browser: Research Without the Hassle
You can open Gemini or Copilot as a sidebar in your browser to sit alongside whatever you're reading online, ready to help you make sense of it all. Since it can see what's on your screen, you don't have to copy-paste or explain what you're looking at.
Brainstorm ideas based on the content you’re currently reading or ask for summaries when you need to get to the main points fast. If you’re trying to figure out if a site has what you’re looking for, you can ask Gemini to help you search.
Try this prompt: "I’m looking for an article to help me use my in-app GenAI tools. Does this PantherBytes blog have that info?"
GenAI tools are here to help you save time without sacrificing quality. They work best when you give them context, and with your new in-app AI assistants, that context is already built in. No more explaining what you're working on or uploading files to get started — AI can see your document, your spreadsheet, or your browser tab and jump right in to help.
— Pitt Digital
