Generative AI Tools Available at UW–Madison
This article explains the generative AI tools available to UW–Madison users and how to pick the right one for your task:
- Microsoft Copilot Chat
- Google Gemini
- Gemini Notebook
- Google Workspace Studio
- Zoom AI Companion
- Webex AI Assistant
- Adobe Firefly
It includes what each tool is for, what it is not for, what is included in UW licensing, data-use rules, support contacts, and everyday examples from teaching, research, administration, HR, and finance.
For campus privacy, data classification, and "OK to use with" guidance, always see Generative AI Services at UW–Madison. That page is the source of truth for what kinds of data can go into which tools.
Contents
- Contents
- AI tool status at a glance
- Core tools
- Premium tools in evaluation
- Quick guide: which tool should I use?
- Rule of thumb for data
- What to avoid: third-party AI meeting bots
- For developers and researchers
- AI features inside other approved campus tools
- Quick comparison
- AI tool details
- Common questions (FAQ)
AI tool status at a glance
The table shows where each AI service DoIT licenses or is evaluating stands today. Core tools are available to all students and employees at no additional cost. DoIT updates this table as pilots progress.
| Provider | AI service | Deployment status | Planned availability | Monthly cost per user |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | Claude Enterprise | Testing in progress | To be determined | $20 standard $50 premium |
| Cisco | Webex AI Assistant | Available | All users | No additional cost |
| Google AI Pro | Testing in progress | To be determined | Uncertain | |
| Google Gemini | Available | All users | No additional cost | |
| Gemini Notebook | Available | All users | No additional cost | |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Copilot Chat | Available | All users | No additional cost |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Copilot Premium | Pilot in progress | Faculty and staff | $18 |
| OpenAI | ChatGPT Edu | Low priority | Not planned | Uncertain |
| Zoom | Zoom AI Companion | Available | All users | No additional cost |
Core tools
These generative AI tools are available now to all university students and employees at no additional cost to departments.
Google Gemini
AI chat, document analysis through Gemini Notebook, and custom AI workflows through Gems.
Gemini Notebook
Source-based research and document analysis.
Microsoft Copilot Chat
Web-grounded AI chat and document Q&A, available to all users through Microsoft 365.
Webex AI Assistant
Meeting summaries and transcripts without recording, plus action item capture. Covered by a business associate agreement. Approved for use with all data types, including HIPAA and FERPA data.
Zoom AI
Meeting summaries, action item capture, and in-meeting Q&A built into Zoom. Covered by a business associate agreement. Approved for use with all data types, including HIPAA and FERPA data.
Premium tools in evaluation
DoIT is reviewing premium tools for more advanced use cases. Expand a section for the current status of each one.
Click to expand
Testing in progress
Anthropic Claude Enterprise
Status: Testing in progress. Pilot expected.
- Enterprise agreement, business associate agreement (BAA), and sales order fully executed
- Estimated pricing: about $20 per user per month (standard) or $50 per user per month (high-end). Education seats get 2.5 to 5 times the usage quotas of consumer plans.
- Onboarding will impact more than 12,000 existing personal accounts registered with wisc.edu email addresses. Exact implication still under review.
Note: Faculty, staff, and students who need API-based access to Anthropic models can get it today through Amazon Web Services or Google Cloud Platform, under university contract.
Google AI Pro
Status: Pilot planned for the last quarter of 2026.
- Upgrades the free Gemini tier already available to the university community
- Requires a data security and privacy review before broad availability
- Access to Google's highest-tier Gemini models
- Higher usage limits than the free tier
- Up to 300 sources per notebook in Gemini Notebook, compared with 50 on the free tier
- Expanded Deep Research capability and enhanced Gemini integration in Google Docs and Sheets
Microsoft Copilot Premium
Status: Pilot in progress. Expanded access coming in November 2026.
- Deployed to IT staff and pilot users
- Cost: $18 per user per month, billed to individual users
- Reviewed by Legal, Data Governance, Security, and Compliance
- Goal: approved for use with public, internal, sensitive, and certain restricted data
- Includes direct access to premium models from Anthropic and OpenAI
- Planned security features: auditability, insider risk management, and oversharing detection. Automated data labeling is planned for a future release.
Not actively exploring
OpenAI ChatGPT Edu
Status: Low priority. Not planned. OpenAI prioritizes a university-wide license with high associated costs.
Note: Faculty, staff, and students who need API-based access to OpenAI models can get it today through Amazon Web Services or Google Cloud Platform.
Quick guide: which tool should I use?
I am drafting, brainstorming, or translating text.
Use Microsoft Copilot Chat or Google Gemini. Both run with enterprise protections when you sign in with your UW account and are approved for public and internal data.
I need AI to work from my own documents and show citations.
Use Gemini Notebook. Good for course packets, RFPs, policy binders, research admin checklists, and briefings.
I want to automate a task or build a no-code agent across my Google files.
Use Google Workspace Studio. It lets you design Gemini-powered agents that operate on Drive, Docs, and Sheets content without writing code.
I need meeting notes, action items, or a recap of what was said.
Use Zoom AI Companion (host must opt in) or Webex AI Assistant. Each provides summaries and action items when hosts turn AI features on. Zoom AI Companion can also join Microsoft Teams and Google Meet meetings as a guest note-taker. Secure Zoom and Webex AI Assistant both support restricted and HIPAA data.
I need to create or edit images and graphics.
Use Microsoft Copilot Chat, Google Gemini, or Adobe Firefly. Firefly prioritizes commercial safety and uses Adobe Stock and licensed or public-domain content.
Rule of thumb for data
Unless a service is clearly approved for sensitive or restricted data, assume public or internal data only.
When in doubt:
- Check the Generative AI Services page
- Or ask your local IT support
What to avoid: third-party AI meeting bots
Some third-party AI note-takers and meeting bots are commonly seen in calendar invites but are not approved for use at UW–Madison. They require access to your meeting content and participant data, have not been vetted by the Office of Cybersecurity, and are not covered by UW data agreements.
Unapproved third-party bots include:
- Otter.ai (as a standalone meeting bot)
- Fireflies.ai
- Read.ai
- Sembly
- Any meeting bot not produced by Zoom, Microsoft, Google, or Cisco Webex
Approved substitute: Zoom AI Companion can join Microsoft Teams and Google Meet meetings as a guest, generating summaries and action items for those platforms. Use it instead of inviting unapproved bots.
For developers and researchers
This guide covers chatbots, document tools, and meeting AI for everyday users. If you build custom AI applications or need API access to foundation models such as OpenAI's GPT, Anthropic's Claude, or Mistral, UW–Madison provides pay-as-you-go access through existing Public Cloud platforms:
- Microsoft Azure (Foundry)
- Google Cloud Platform (Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform)
- AWS (Bedrock)
These services are available to faculty and staff and require a Cybersecurity and Public Cloud risk assessment before processing sensitive or restricted data. See the Generative AI Services page for access requests and policy details.
AI features inside other approved campus tools
Several centrally supported tools include AI features that are not covered in this guide because they run inside another product's data agreement and support path. These include Honorlock automated proctoring, Gradescope answer grouping, Zoom live transcription, and Cidi Labs DesignPLUS. Use those tools per their existing guidance.
Quick comparison
The table below summarizes each tool's purpose, licensing, supported data, typical uses, and support path. Always verify data classification rules on the Generative AI Services page.
| Tool | Purpose | What is included with UW access | What is not included | Data you may use* | Typical campus uses | Who supports it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Copilot Chat | A secure AI chatbot for writing and explaining things | Web and app chat with enterprise protections when signed in with your UW account | Deep integration inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams (Microsoft Copilot Premium) and Copilot Studio premium features | Public and internal | Draft emails and memos, summarize articles, brainstorm ideas | DoIT Help Desk |
| Google Gemini | Google's AI chat for drafting, coding, and images | Web app chat with enterprise protections when signed in with your UW Google account | Gemini for Google Workspace add-ons (Docs, Sheets, Slides integrations) and Gemini Advanced | Public and internal | Drafting and Q&A, translation, code help, simple images | DoIT Help Desk |
| Gemini Notebook | AI that works only from the sources you add and cites them | Upload readings, policies, and links; get study guides, FAQs, audio and video overviews | Not a general chat about the whole web | Public and internal | Course study packs, policy FAQs, grant and RFP checklists | DoIT Help Desk |
| Google Workspace Studio | No-code platform for building Gemini-powered agents that automate tasks across Google Workspace | Agent builder inside Drive; automation across Drive, Docs, and Sheets; Gemini 3 Flash; template library | Gmail and Microsoft 365 integration; some third-party app integration; users under 18 cannot create AI agents | Public and internal | Automating routine document workflows, building unit-specific assistants on top of Drive content | DoIT Help Desk |
| Zoom AI Companion | AI inside Zoom for meeting summaries and action items; also joins Microsoft Teams and Google Meet as a guest | Host opt-in features: summaries, next steps, ask AI about the meeting, cross-platform note-taking for Teams and Google Meet | Not a general chat outside Zoom meetings | Public, internal; Secure Zoom can be used with sensitive or restricted (including PHI under HIPAA) | Committee and board recaps, project standups, advising notes | DoIT Help Desk |
| Webex AI Assistant | Meeting-focused AI for summaries and key points | Summaries, action items, real-time insights in meetings; covered by a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) | Some messaging AI and advanced Webex Suite features may not be available in the EDU tier | Public, internal, sensitive, and restricted including HIPAA (know your unit's guidance before using) | Recaps for boards, team meetings, workshops; clinical use cases approved by your unit | DoIT Help Desk |
| Adobe Firefly | Creative image generation and text effects | Commercially safer image generation (Adobe Stock, licensed, and public-domain training data) | Not for meeting notes or research Q&A | Follow unit rules; generally fine for creative content | Course graphics, posters, web images, recruiting materials | Adobe (vendor) |
*Always verify data classification rules on the Generative AI Services page.
AI tool details
Click to expand
Microsoft Copilot Chat
What it is: A secure Microsoft AI chatbot (web or app) for writing, summarizing, translating, explaining, generating simple code, and producing simple images.
What you can do easily
- Draft emails, memos, and announcements in a chosen tone.
- Summarize an article or web page into key points.
- Brainstorm ideas, outlines, titles, or names.
- Get quick explanations of technical terms or policies (using public or internal info).
- Generate simple code snippets or formulas.
- Generate simple images (following content rules).
- Use multimodal features (vision, image analysis, code interpretation).
What's not included at UW by default
- Deep integration inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams (called Microsoft Copilot Premium) and most Copilot Studio features. Most UW users have Copilot Chat only, not the premium in-app features.
Good examples
- HR: Rewrite job descriptions for clarity and inclusiveness.
- Finance: Summarize a public policy PDF into a short briefing.
- Student: Turn a rough paragraph into a clean, readable summary.
Data: Use public or internal data only (no restricted or HIPAA).
Support: DoIT Help Desk
Google Gemini
What it is: Google's AI chat at gemini.google.com for writing, brainstorming, coding help, translations, and images.
What you can do easily
- Rewrite or translate text
- Explain complex ideas in plain language
- Draft messages, descriptions, or summaries
- Generate simple images
- Ask for small code examples
What's not included at UW by default
- No Google Workspace add-ons (Docs, Sheets, Slides integrations)
- No Gemini Advanced features
Good examples
- Instructor/TA: Create a neutral, student-friendly description of an assignment.
- Student: Brainstorm thesis statements or research questions.
- Communications staff: Draft alternate headlines and social snippets.
Data: Use public or internal data only.
Support: DoIT Help Desk
Gemini Notebook
What it is: An AI research notebook that works only from the sources you upload (PDFs, Google Docs, websites, transcripts, images). It cites its answers and can create study guides, FAQs, and narrated audio and video overviews.
What you can do easily
- Turn a stack of readings into a cited study guide
- Produce a narrated video or audio overview of complex content
- Build an FAQ from policy manuals or a procedures binder, with citations for audit
- Compare sections across documents (for example, updated policy against old policy)
What it's not for
- General chat about anything on the web. However, you can add sources from around the web.
Good examples
- Students: Summarize key themes from multiple readings and get citations to quote properly.
- Finance: Create a "What changed?" summary of the latest policy revision with references.
- Research admin: Build a checklist from a sponsor's RFP with section citations.
Data: Use public or internal information only.
Support: DoIT Help Desk
Age note: Google lists NotebookLM for adult (18+) users; check Google's terms for details.
Google Workspace Studio
What it is: A no-code platform that lets you design, manage, and share Gemini-powered AI agents directly within the Google apps you use every day. Agents can understand context across Drive, Docs, and Sheets and perform reasoning to handle complex tasks.
What you can do easily
- Build no-code agents using a template library and visual builder
- Automate routine Drive and Docs workflows
- Integrate with Sheets for structured data tasks
- Use Gemini 3 Flash for fast, lightweight reasoning
- Share agents with your team for repeatable use
What is not included at UW by default
- Email integration with Gmail or Microsoft 365
- Some third-party app integrations are limited
- Users under 18 cannot create agents that use Gemini AI
Good examples
- HR: Build an agent that drafts standardized response templates from a Drive folder of policy documents.
- Finance: Automate document checks and approvals across a Sheets-driven workflow.
- Research admin: Create an agent that summarizes new uploads to a shared Drive folder and tags them by category.
Data: Use public or internal data only.
Support: DoIT Help Desk
Access: Sign in with your NetID and open the Workspace Studio icon in the top-right corner of your UW–Madison Google Drive. See UW-Madison Google Workspace - Workspace Studio for details and current limits.
Zoom AI Companion
What it is: AI features inside Zoom that you (as the host) can turn on for a meeting to produce summaries and action items, and let participants ask AI about what was discussed. Zoom AI Companion can also join Microsoft Teams and Google Meet meetings as an authenticated guest to provide the same kind of summary.
What you can do easily
- Get a readable meeting recap: decisions, next steps, and owners
- Ask questions like "What did we decide about deadlines?" during or after the meeting
- Share the summary with attendees to confirm accuracy
- Invite AI Companion to your meetings on Microsoft Teams or Google Meet; the bot appears as a guest, announces itself, and emails the summary afterward
What it is not for
- General chat outside Zoom. It focuses on meeting content.
- Real-time "catch me up" questions during a third-party (Teams or Meet) meeting; that feature is Zoom-only.
Good examples
- Committees and boards: Clear end-of-meeting summaries with follow-ups.
- Project teams: Weekly standup recap with action items and owners, even when the meeting is hosted on Teams.
- Advising or clinical: With Secure Zoom, summaries can be used with restricted and HIPAA data when allowed by policy.
Data
- Standard Zoom AI Companion: public, internal, and sensitive data can be used when permitted
- Secure Zoom: can be used with restricted or HIPAA data when your use case and unit policies allow
Always verify on the Generative AI Services page and with your local IT or security office.
Support: DoIT Help Desk
Host control: Features are opt-in; participants are notified when AI features are enabled. See UW-Madison Zoom Workplace - Invite Zoom AI (formerly AI Companion) to Join Third-Party Meetings for setup of cross-platform note-taking.
Webex AI Assistant
What it is: AI features within Cisco Webex Meetings that produce meeting summaries and action items, and let participants ask AI about what was discussed. Webex AI Assistant is covered by a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and has been vetted by UW Cybersecurity for both HIPAA and non-HIPAA use.
What you can do easily
- Summaries with key points and follow-ups
- Auto-generated action items
- Ask: "What decisions did we make about next semester?"
- Real-time transcription enhancements
What it is not for
- Advanced messaging AI or full Webex Suite features (not all are available in the EDU tier)
Good campus examples
- Project meetings requiring recap notes
- Workshops and trainings
- Cross-unit coordination meetings
- Clinical and HIPAA-covered meetings approved by your unit
Data: Public, internal, sensitive, and restricted (including HIPAA) when permitted by your unit. Confirm with your local IT or security contact before using for restricted data.
Support: DoIT Help Desk
Adobe Firefly
What it is: Adobe's creative AI for image generation, generative fill and expand, and text effects. It is designed with commercial safety in mind by training on Adobe Stock, licensed, and public-domain content.
What you can do easily
- Generate images to illustrate a course page, news article, or event flyer
- Use Generative Fill to remove or replace parts of a photo or extend a background
- Create on-brand graphics for recruiting and outreach
What it is not for
- Meeting notes
- Policy or research Q&A
Good examples
- Instructors and students: Create visuals for slides and posters.
- HR and Communications: Make clean, accessible graphics for web and social.
- Departments: Produce event banners and wayfinding icons.
Data: Follow your unit's content rules and brand guidelines.
Support: Adobe (vendor). UW provides access, but there is no dedicated campus Firefly support team.
Common questions (FAQ)
Q: Are my prompts used to train these tools?
A: When you use Copilot, Gemini, or Workspace Studio signed in with your UW account, vendors apply enterprise terms that differ from public consumer tools. Campus guidance explains how your prompts and outputs are handled for each service. See the Generative AI Services page for details before entering any sensitive content.
Q: Can I upload a confidential spreadsheet or patient data?
A: Usually no. Most tools here are for public and internal data only. Secure Zoom and Webex AI Assistant can be used with restricted or HIPAA data when allowed and configured. Always check the Generative AI Services page and follow your unit's rules.
Q: Can I use Otter.ai, Fireflies, or another third-party note-taker in my meetings?
A: No. Third-party meeting bots are not approved at UW–Madison. Use Zoom AI Companion or Webex AI Assistant instead. Zoom AI Companion can join Microsoft Teams and Google Meet meetings as a guest. See kb.wisc.edu/security/136072 for the Cybersecurity guidance on third-party meeting bots.
Q: Do these tools replace human review?
A: No. Treat AI suggestions like a first draft. You are responsible for accuracy, policy compliance, and tone.
Q: Who do I contact for help?
A: For Copilot Chat, Gemini, Gemini Notebook, Workspace Studio, Webex AI Assistant, and Zoom AI Companion, contact the DoIT Help Desk. For Adobe Firefly, contact Adobe Support (vendor). For Cybersecurity reviews of any tool not listed in this guide, see Office of Cybersecurity Risk Management & Compliance.