Faculty and staff at Syracuse University are being encouraged to explore generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve their daily work routines. In a recent Information Technology Services (ITS) Summer Series session, Technology Transformation Specialist Shannon Glennon outlined several practical uses for AI in the workplace.
Glennon explained that AI can help draft professional emails quickly using tools like Microsoft Copilot. “Start with what you’re looking to create,” Glennon says. “Be specific, provide context and don’t be afraid to refine your prompt if you don’t get the results you’re looking for.” She also suggested sharing previous emails with the AI tool so it can learn an individual’s tone and style.
For scheduling meetings, Copilot can check Outlook calendars, propose time slots, and send invitations as part of the Microsoft 365 suite. Glennon described this feature: “It’s like having a scheduling sidekick who’s always hyper-attuned to your team’s availability.”
Copilot is also able to generate documents such as PowerPoint presentations, Word files, Excel sheets, and Microsoft Forms. “You can create a presentation from scratch or summarize a meeting transcript into a Word doc for future reference—it’s all about saving time,” Glennon says. She noted that obtaining meeting transcripts is easier when using Teams instead of Zoom due to integration across M365 apps.
AI tools can summarize lengthy documents—such as research papers or university policies—into concise bullet points. However, Glennon cautioned users: AI sometimes returns incorrect information or hallucinates details, so its output should always be verified.
Visual content creation is another area where generative AI offers support. “AI-generated images are great for making your content pop,” Glennon says. “It’s an easy way to add visual interest to reports and presentations.”
Glennon reminded faculty and staff that any University-owned data should only be entered after logging in to University-approved AI platforms using official credentials.
As she concluded: “Generative AI isn’t just a trend, it’s a tool. And like any tool, it’s all about how you use it.”
Syracuse University community members interested in learning more about generative AI resources can subscribe to the ITS-run AI Insights newsletter or register for upcoming training sessions on related topics.
