Information Technology Services (ITS)

Explore generative AI with ITS Thursday@3 series

Published on: January 26, 2024

The IT@UofT community is encouraged to attend ITS’ upcoming Thursday@3 webinars, which focus on the topic of generative AI from various lenses. This webinar series is hosted by ITS and is open to all University of Toronto staff.

ITS staff members will automatically receive an optional Outlook invitation to attend. Members of the broader IT@UofT community will need to register to receive additional meeting information.

Upcoming webinars:

Introduction to MS Co-Pilot

Feb. 22, 3 – 4 p.m.
Presenter: Derek Hunt, Faculty Liaison, Teaching, Learning & Technology, Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation

The University now offers eligible staff access to Microsoft Copilot, an advanced AI-powered chatbot and search engine. Unlike other chatbots, Copilot provides an enhanced user experience by responding to prompts with content and footnotes linked to original internet sources. It features multi-modal capabilities, supporting tasks such as generating images, interpreting image information and aiding in coding. Through the Microsoft Edge browser sidebar, users can inquire about local files or specific websites they are browsing, and the enterprise version of Copilot improves the privacy and security of end users. Derek will demonstrate how to effectively access and use this tool with grounded content sources.

Equity, diversity and inclusion in generative AI applications

March 7, 3 – 4 p.m.
Presenter: Alex Olson, Research Associate at the Centre for Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Engineering

Interested in learning more about considerations that lie at the intersection of technology and social responsibility? Alex Olson will outline opportunities and challenges in this domain as we increasingly explore artificial intelligence as an avenue for innovation. With the rapid changes we are witnessing, IT staff will need to navigate the challenges posed in terms of bias, fairness and inclusivity in AI applications. This seminar will provide some examples of the impact that generative AI can have on diverse user groups, shedding light on potential biases that may inadvertently perpetuate societal inequalities. The seminar will then explore how researchers are working to address these concerns, building fairness directly into AI models.

Navigating security and privacy in generative AI

May 2, 3 – 4 p.m.
Presenters: Kanupriya Kejriwal, Information Risk Manager and Kalyani Khati, Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives, Information Security

Learn about strategies for mitigating risk, including awareness of potential threats to information security; best practices in data handling; and the adoption of security measures to avoid potential data exposure when utilizing third-party tools. Kalyani and Kanupriya will discuss privacy considerations and understanding of university policy; and offer best practices for responsible use. Join this webinar to gain insights into navigating security and privacy in generative AI.