Terry AI Services

Overview

Terry OIT helps faculty and staff identify AI tools that support their work, understand the capabilities of available platforms, and use university information responsibly.

UGA provides access to several AI platforms, including Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini. Each offers different capabilities, and the best choice depends on how you intend to use AI.

Terry OIT's recommendations:

• Staff: Microsoft Copilot is our recommended starting point for productivity, administrative operations, and workflow improvement.
• Faculty: AI needs vary considerably across teaching, research, and academic activities. Terry OIT can help evaluate available platforms based on specific requirements.
• All users: Review UGA's AI guidance before using institutional information with an AI tool.

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AI Tools and Licensing

UGA provides access to several AI platforms through university accounts and institutional licensing programs. Some tools are available without additional licensing costs, while advanced capabilities require a paid subscription.

Basic AI access

UGA provides access to basic versions of several AI tools through university-managed accounts.

These include:

• Microsoft Copilot Chat
• Google Gemini
• Gemini Notebook

Users should sign in using their UGA credentials and verify that they are accessing the university-supported service rather than a personal account.

Premium AI licensing

UGA also offers premium licenses for advanced AI capabilities. License request deadline dates are: April 1, June 1, and November 1. Onboarding will occur a month after premium license is requested.

Request a License

Important: Pricing, licensing terms, availability, and purchasing windows may change. Consult EITS for current information.

Resources:

• UGA AI Tools Knowledge Base
• UGA AI Licensing Purchasing Program
• UGA EITS AI Tools

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AI for Terry Staff

Recommended Platform: Microsoft Copilot

Terry OIT recommends Microsoft Copilot for most staff because it integrates with the Microsoft 365 applications already used throughout the college.

Copilot can help employees work more efficiently, reduce repetitive administrative tasks, and improve access to institutional knowledge.

What can I do with Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot Chat vs. Microsoft 365 Copilot

Microsoft Copilot Chat

Available through UGA's Microsoft environment without purchasing an additional premium license.

Useful for:

• Answering questions
• Drafting and rewriting text
• Summarizing information
• Researching topics
• Analyzing supported uploaded documents

Microsoft 365 Copilot (Premium)

Provides additional integration with Microsoft 365 applications and organizational information.

Depending on licensing and enabled features, users can:

• Work with information from Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Reference permitted documents stored in OneDrive and SharePoint
• Summarize meetings and related information
• Create AI agents and reusable workflows
• Access additional AI models and advanced capabilities

When should I request premium Copilot?

Consider a premium license when you regularly work with Microsoft 365 applications and need AI to assist directly with your documents, meetings, email, or recurring administrative processes.

For general AI conversations and occasional writing assistance, start with Copilot Chat.

How to request Microsoft 365 Copilot

Terry departments coordinate premium AI licensing through Terry OIT and EITS.

1. Discuss your need with your department head.
2. Obtain departmental funding approval.
3. Contact Terry OIT for licensing assistance.
4. Terry OIT will coordinate the request with EITS according to the university's purchasing schedule.

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AI for Terry Faculty

Faculty may use AI differently depending on their teaching, research, and academic responsibilities.

For this reason, Terry OIT does not recommend one platform for every faculty member.

AI for Teaching and Instruction

AI tools can support course development and instructional activities.

Examples include:

Course preparation

• Developing instructional materials and case studies
• Generating classroom discussion questions
• Creating exercises and practice problems
• Preparing alternative explanations of complex concepts

Instructional innovation

• Developing simulations and interactive learning activities
• Creating course-specific AI assistants
• Exploring AI-supported learning activities
• Developing examples demonstrating AI applications in business

Assessment

• Developing assignment ideas
• Creating practice quizzes
• Reviewing instructional materials
• Exploring assessment approaches that account for student AI use

Faculty should follow applicable university policies regarding academic integrity, student information, and instructional use of AI.

AI for Research

Researchers may require more advanced capabilities than those needed for general productivity.

Examples include:

Choosing a platform for research

Researchers should consider:

• Model capabilities and reasoning performance
• Availability of frontier models
• Programming and code execution tools
• Context-window size
• Document analysis capabilities
• API availability and pricing
• Research reproducibility
• Data security and confidentiality
• Integration with existing research workflows

Terry OIT can assist faculty in evaluating platforms based on these requirements.

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Understanding AI Models, Platforms, and Agents

AI technology is evolving beyond simple conversational assistants.

Understanding a few important concepts can help users choose appropriate tools.

AI Models

An AI model is the underlying technology that processes information and generates responses.

Examples include model families developed by:

• OpenAI — GPT
• Anthropic — Claude
• Google — Gemini

Models vary in reasoning capabilities, programming performance, processing speed, context size, and cost.

AI Platforms and Harnesses

An AI platform provides the tools and environment through which users interact with models.

Examples include ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot.

The platform or harness may provide capabilities beyond the underlying model, such as:

• Web search and research
• Document analysis
• Code execution
• File creation
• Projects and notebooks
• Connections to external applications
• Persistent instructions and reusable skills
• AI agents
• Workflow automation

Why does this matter?

Two platforms may offer access to similar underlying models but provide very different capabilities.

For example, a researcher may need a platform that executes Python code, while a staff member may benefit more from a platform integrated with Outlook and Teams.

AI Agents

An AI agent is a system configured to perform tasks using defined instructions, information sources, and available tools.

Examples at Terry might include:

• A departmental assistant that answers questions using approved operating procedures
• An onboarding assistant that helps new employees locate relevant documentation
• A research assistant that organizes information from approved sources
• An administrative assistant that prepares recurring reports

More advanced agents can perform multistep tasks and interact with connected systems.

Agents that access institutional information or perform actions in university systems require appropriate permissions and security review.

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Responsible Use

AI can improve productivity and support innovation, but university information must be handled appropriately.

What information can I use with AI?

The answer depends on the classification of the information, the AI service being used, and applicable university policies.

Public information

Publicly available information generally presents fewer confidentiality concerns.

Examples include published university information, public research publications, and publicly available course descriptions.

Internal university information

Before entering internal institutional information into an AI platform, confirm that the service is appropriate for the information and intended use.

Sensitive or restricted information

Student records, protected personal information, financial information, confidential research data, and other sensitive or restricted information may require additional safeguards and authorization.

Do not upload sensitive or restricted university information into personal AI accounts.

Use of such information in university-provided AI systems may require data steward approval and additional review.

Important reminders

• Use university-supported AI accounts for university work when appropriate.
• Do not assume a paid personal subscription provides institutional data protection.
• Verify that a particular AI service is authorized for the information involved.
• Review AI-generated content before relying on it.
• Confirm facts, citations, calculations, and other important details.
• Exercise additional caution when creating agents that can access files, email, databases, or other systems.

When uncertain, contact Terry OIT before using university information with an AI tool.

For authoritative requirements, consult the UGA EITS AI Tools Knowledge Base.

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How Terry OIT Can Help

Terry OIT can assist faculty and staff with identifying appropriate AI technologies and exploring their application to college operations, teaching, and research.

Areas of assistance include:

Have an AI Idea?

You do not need to know which AI platform to use before contacting Terry OIT. Start by describing the problem you want to solve.

Examples:

• "I spend several hours each month preparing reports."
• "I want to make our departmental procedures easier to find."
• "I would like to automate part of our employee onboarding process."
• "I need help evaluating AI models for a research project."
• "I want to explore AI activities for my course."

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which AI tool does Terry OIT recommend?

For most staff, Terry OIT recommends Microsoft Copilot because of its integration with Microsoft 365. Faculty should select tools based on their teaching and research requirements.

Do I need to purchase an AI license?

Not necessarily. UGA provides basic access to several AI services. Premium licenses provide additional capabilities and may be appropriate for more advanced needs.

Can I use my personal ChatGPT or Claude subscription for university work?

Personal AI accounts should not be used with sensitive or restricted university information. University-managed services may provide additional protections, but users must still follow applicable UGA policies.

Can Copilot access my university email and files?

Premium Microsoft 365 Copilot can work with supported organizational information according to existing permissions and available integrations. Access varies by license, configuration, and enabled features.

Can I use AI with student information?

Student information may be subject to FERPA and university data governance requirements. Consult applicable policies and obtain any required approvals before using student information with AI.

Can Terry OIT help me create an AI agent?

Terry OIT can help evaluate potential solutions, identify appropriate platforms, and review technical and security considerations. Implementation assistance depends on project scope and available resources.

Which AI model is currently the best?

There is no universally best model. Performance depends on the task, and model capabilities change frequently. Evaluate models according to your specific requirements.

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