AI Tools

AI tools are changing quickly. At WP, tool choice should be guided by purpose, privacy, and policy. Before adopting a tool for University work, confirm with IT whether it is approved/supported and what data protections apply.

Approved and supported AI tool (current)

Microsoft Copilot Chat is currently the AI tool explicitly identified as approved and supported for WP use (per University guidance). Even when using Copilot Chat, choose anonymized or non‑sensitive information whenever possible.

Examples of useful AI tools by audience

AI tools come in many forms—some generate text, images, or videos, some analyze data, some help with accessibility, and others support planning, design, or coding. The most useful tool depends on the task, the sensitivity of the information involved, and whether the tool is approved for University use.

Before you Share

Don’t forget the Human-in-the-Loop concept as you use AI tools! You are responsible for what you share with others, and since people recognize “AI slop” immediately, it’s important that you verify AI output, be transparent about AI use, and put your own touch/style into everything you produce. Also, sharing “AI slop”can be interpreted as disrespectful to your audience.

For Students

Students often benefit from AI tools that strengthen learning, not replace it. Examples include:

  • Study and tutoring assistants: explain concepts, quiz you, generate practice problems, and help you plan study sessions.
  • Writing and revision tools: clarify structure, improve grammar, suggest stronger organization, and help generate outlines (with appropriate attribution and adhering to faculty  rules about AI use).
  • Research support tools: help brainstorm keywords, map an argument, summarize student-provided sources, and draft annotated bibliographies (citations always require verification).
  • Math and science helpers: walk through problem-solving steps, check work, and explain formulas or lab concepts.
  • Presentation tools: generate slide outlines, speaker notes, and accessible summaries for presentations.
  • Accessibility tools: speech-to-text, text-to-speech, reading support, translation, captioning, and note organization.
  • Career tools: resume and cover letter drafting, interview practice, and identification of skills gaps.

For Faculty

Faculty use cases typically center on teaching design, feedback, and administrative efficiency—while preserving academic standards.

  • Course design assistants: generate draft learning outcomes, assignment prompts, rubrics, and discussion questions aligned to course goals.
  • Assessment support tools: help create question banks, practice quizzes, and alternative versions of assessments (with careful review for accuracy and bias).
  • Feedback and revision support: summarize common patterns in student drafts (when allowed), suggest feedback language, or generate examples of stronger revisions.
  • Research workflow tools: support literature scanning, summarize faculty-provided articles/notes, generate coding or analysis scaffolds, and help organize references (always verify).
  • Communication tools: draft emails, announcements, and student-facing instructions in clear, consistent language.
  • Accessibility and UDL support: create multiple formats of course materials (plain-language versions, captions, alternative text, reading guides).

For Staff

Staff use cases usually focus on productivity, communications, service quality, and operational support—within privacy and data rules.

  • Writing and communications tools: draft or refine web copy, newsletters, FAQs, social media captions, and event messaging.
  • Customer-service support: generate consistent responses for routine inquiries, improve tone, and create knowledge-base/FAQ content.
  • Meeting and project tools: agenda creation, note summarization, action-item extraction, and project plans.
  • Data and reporting tools: help interpret dashboards, summarize trends, draft narrative reports, and assist with spreadsheet formulas or data cleaning (for non-sensitive data).
  • Policy and process support: create checklists, document drafts, and training materials; translate procedures into plain language.
  • Design and media helpers: generate layout ideas, captions, alt text, and basic creative briefs for designers (final outputs should follow brand standards and approvals).

Reminder: The examples above describe types of tools and tasks. Before using any specific product for University work, confirm it is approved/supported for the data you plan to use, and do not enter sensitive, confidential, or personally identifiable information unless the tool is explicitly cleared for it.