Artificial Intelligence: Appropriate Use of Generative AI Tools
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving and changing many aspects of teaching, learning, research, and our work at the University of Minnesota. As these tools become more readily available, it is crucial to understand how to safeguard data and use them appropriately in your role at the University.
Core principles and policies
All people who use AI in their University of Minnesota work and studies are responsible for understanding the policies that support and enable data and information security, ethics, and legal compliance.
Know your data
- Data classified as Public data can be used freely in generative AI platforms.
- Review examples of Public data.
- In all cases, use must be consistent with the University’s Data Security Classification policy.
Safeguarding data means only uploading allowed University data into appropriately licensed tools. The table below outlines the data types you can and can't add to AI tools.
Note: Your department or unit may have additional restrictions. Students should consult with their instructors and advisors for guidance on what is and isn't permitted.
| AI Tool | UMN Licensed | Public Data | Private-Restricted Data | Private-Highly Restricted Data | Health Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gemini | Yes | Yes | Yes | Acceptable Use | Acceptable Use |
| Copilot | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| NotebookLM | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Zoom AI Companion | Yes | Yes | Acceptable Use | No | No |
| ChatGPT (Individual license) | No | Yes | No | No | No |
UMN-Licensed Technologies
Tools that are UMN-Licensed have a binding contract (e.g., a Master License Agreement) between the technology provider and the University. The tools may be available with no cost or have a cost associated with them. OIT encourages the use of UMN-Licensed tools.
Understand ethics
- The Office for Institutional Compliance provides guidance on Ethics. Apply the five ethical decision-making values in your use of AI and other technologies in your work and studies.
- Adhere to Requirements for Licensing AI Tools.
- Whether you are purchasing a license or using an unpaid version, all software is subject to the review process for software purchases, including the vendor review process.
Know what is expected of you
Based on your role, there may be explicit restrictions on your use of generative AI.
- Students must understand instructor expectations. This is paramount. Just because an AI tool exists doesn't mean you can use it for every assignment or even every class. Many instructors have very clear policies, which can vary widely.
- Staff should consult with their managers to understand if there are specific considerations that apply to their work. Managers may require restricted use based on data security, confidentiality, intellectual property, and compliance with University policies.
- Faculty and researchers must understand the AI policies of the granting and research agencies they work with.
Guidance on appropriate use
- Work within the current Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources policy and understand your responsibilities.
- AI tools can generate incomplete or biased responses, so any output should be closely reviewed and verified by a human.
- AI-generated code should not be used for institutional IT systems and services unless it is reviewed by a technologist with appropriate skills.
- The University of Minnesota has approved use of several AI tools.
- Reference the available tool pages for the classification of data that can be used.
Input licensing restrictions
Publishers typically prohibit (through licensing) upload of research, magazine, and newspaper articles (including those used for course readings) to third-party services like AI tools. Do not upload materials produced by others or licensed materials unless you have explicit permission or the material is covered under a known exemption or license. For more information read the Libraries Acceptable Use of Electronic Resources.
Contract policy
Agreement to any software’s terms and conditions, including clickwrap user agreements, are contracts and must be performed by the person with delegated authority to act on behalf of the University. Regents' Policies Relating to Contracts require that all such terms are submitted to UMN’s Office of General Counsel (OGC) for review before acceptance to ensure the University is not entered into a legally-binding contract with the vendor without adequate counsel.
See the Contract and Privacy Review section of the Review Process for UMN Software Purchases self-help guide.