AI Tools for UW–Whitewater Students and Staff
Artificial intelligence is making waves across campus—supporting creativity, efficiency, and insight. Here’s a closer look at four AI-powered tools available to UW–Whitewater faculty, staff, and students. Questions? Email CATLST!
Google Gemini
What it does: Gemini is Google’s conversational AI that can help draft text, summarize content, generate images, write code, and more—right within Google Workspace apps like Docs and Slides.
Access: Available through Google Workspace for Education, which is fully integrated with UW‑Whitewater’s NetID system; students, faculty, and staff can log in using their university credentials. Get started with Google Gemini.
Microsoft Copilot
What it does: Copilot functions like a GPT-based assistant built into Bing and Microsoft 365, helping you search, draft, summarize, and even generate images. It also offers stronger privacy safeguards* compared to consumer versions.
Access: Enabled through UW-W’s O365 licensing and NetID. You can use it securely via copilot.microsoft.com or through the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.
Webex Meeting Tools
What it does: Webex Assistant offers real-time transcription, captions, and post-meeting summaries to make meetings more accessible and actionable, highlighting key discussion points and action items.
Access: UW‑Whitewater users can log into Webex with their NetID. Enterprise-level AI meeting features are designed to comply with student data privacy regulations like FERPA and COPPA.
Turnitin AI Detection (within Canvas)
What it does: Turnitin’s Similarity Report now includes an AI-generated content detection feature, flagging text likely written by AI and integrated directly in Canvas. It can also flag text that may have been paraphrased or edited by AI.
Access: Instructors and students access Turnitin tools through Canvas, using NetID authentication.
How to use it effectively: The AI detection works best for long-format prose and only in English, Spanish, and Japanese; students won’t see the AI indicator even if viewing similarity results. Be mindful that detection isn’t foolproof—false positives occur and “humanizing” AI tools can bypass detection.
FERPA & Privacy Considerations
While these tools are available to use, remember:
- Don’t input any identifiable info about students or others (names, IDs, grades) into any AI tools.
- Be cautious with Webex summaries—ensure sensitive details aren’t captured or shared.
- Use Turnitin AI judiciously—treat detections as prompts for conversation, not concrete proof.
- Always consult FERPA guidelines—student education records must remain private unless explicit written consent is given.
These AI tools are promising augmentative assets for creativity, efficiency, and engagement at UW-Whitewater when used appropriately. For more information on appropriate use guidelines and use case examples, visit the UW-Whitewater AI website.