AI Guidelines & Policies

Microsoft

• Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat Enterprise), and Azure Open AI (AOAI) are available AI tools with contractual agreements for use by UT Tyler.
• While these Microsoft products have some data protections, we highly recommend against using Bing Copilot on sensitive data sets when it is not necessary to fulfill official University duties or research projects (see UT Tyler Data Classification).

In all cases, use of Microsoft AI tools should be consistent with the Information Resources Acceptable Use Policy.

ChatGPT and Similar AI Tools

We highly encourage use of the Microsoft products specified above exclusively to fulfill official University duties. However, if that is not possible, use of ChatGPT and similar AI tools is allowed as follows:

• Only data that is publicly available or defined as Published Data (see UT Tyler Data Classification) can be used freely in AI Tools.
• In all cases, use should be consistent with the Information Resources Acceptable Use Policy.
• Students should always adhere to the UT Tyler Policy on Student Conduct when using any AI tool.
• Researchers should always adhere to the UT Tyler Policy 3.2.8 Misconduct in Research and Other Scholarly Activity. 

• At present, any use of ChatGPT or similar AI Tools cannot include any personal, confidential, proprietary, or otherwise sensitive information. In general, student records subject to FERPA, health information (HIPAA), proprietary information, and any other information classified as UT Tyler Data Classification must not be used with ChatGPT or similar AI Tools.
• Similarly, ChatGPT or similar AI Tools, including the Microsoft products listed above, must not be used to generate output that would not be considered authorized for public or fair use.

Examples include but are not limited to

• • generating someone else’s proprietary or unpublished research; legal analysis or advice;
  • recruitment, personnel or disciplinary decision making;
  • completion of academic work in a manner not allowed by the instructor;
  • creation of someone else’s proprietary instructional materials without authorized use or proper citations; and grading. 

Please also note that the companies that own ChatGPT and Bing Chat Enterprise/Copilot, OpenAI and Microsoft, respectively, explicitly forbid their use for certain categories of activity, including fraud and illegal activities. This list of items can be found in their usage policies below.

• AI Tools of any sort may not be used for any activity that would be illegal, fraudulent or a violation of any state or federal law, or UT Tyler or UT System policies.
  • OpenAI usage policy
  • Microsoft acceptable use policy 

Fair Use

Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances¹.

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Responsible Use

• Users should not enter any Confidential or Controlled university data in an AI chat tool.
• Users should always validate the results and verify the sources of information provided by AI tools.
• Users should not violate any policies, including the UT Tyler Information Resources Acceptable Use Policy and the specific policies of each AI tool, such as https://openai.com/policies/usage-policies.
• For questions regarding the appropriate use of Microsoft Bing Chat Enterprise, Azure Open AI, ChatGPT and other AI Tools, please contact the Information Security Office at infosecurity@uttyler.edu.
• For more specific information about allowed and prohibited AI usage at UT Tyler, read our AI Guide.

• No Agreement, No Privacy and Security Terms for ChatGPT and other AI tools: All content entered into with, or generated by, ChatGPT is available to ChatGPT, its parent company, OpenAI, and their employees. There is currently no agreement between UT Tyler and OpenAI or other AI Tools that would provide data security and privacy protections required by UT policy regarding ChatGPT, OpenAI’s, or other AI Tools’ programming interface. Consequently, the use of ChatGPT or other AI Tools at this time could expose individual users and UT Tyler to the potential loss and/or abuse of sensitive data and information. Some data protections are provided through our agreement with Microsoft, but they are limited.
• Users should always validate the results and verify the sources of information provided by AI tools.
• Personal Liability: ChatGPT and other AI Tools use click-through agreements. Click-through agreements, including OpenAI and ChatGPT and other AI Tools’ terms of use, are contracts. Individuals who accept click-through agreements without delegated signature authority may face personal consequences, including responsibility for compliance with terms and conditions.

Violation of any UT Tyler policies may result in disciplinary action that may include termination for employees and temporaries; a termination of employment relations in the case of contractors or consultants; dismissal for interns and volunteers; or suspension or expulsion in the case of a student. Additionally, individuals are subject to loss of University Information Resources access privileges, civil, and criminal prosecution.