Artificial Intelligence at Montana State University

Upcoming symposium - "The Future of AI"

On Oct. 1-2, Montana State University will host an interdisciplinary symposium, "The Future of AI," to explore the possibilities and challenges of artificial intelligence for human knowledge.

Full event details

The MSU Interdisciplinary Institute on Artificial Intelligence

The MSU Interdisciplinary Institute on Artificial Intelligence, or IIAI, aims to help enhance research, empower students to understand and critically evaluate AI, and provide Montanans with knowledge related to AI through research, teaching, and workforce development efforts.

More than 150 faculty members and guests attended MSU IIAI's Faculty Symposium on March 26, 2026, an event designed to explore the possibilities and pitfalls of AI for higher education and research.

“Artificial intelligence does more than create new opportunities for the ways we do our work; it enables entirely new modes of discovery and knowledge creation that were previously out of reach.”
Doralyn Rossmann, MSU IIAI co-leader and dean of the MSU Library

Tools

No single tool fits every task, which is why MSU makes three generative AI tools available for use. Consider your needs, workflow, and your data sensitivity when choosing an AI tool.

CatChat (MSU‑hosted)

What it is: MSU’s general-purpose generative AI tool, hosted on campus and supported by Research Computing’s Tempest infrastructure.
Cost: Available to all MSU faculty, staff, and students at no additional cost.
Access: Available 24/7 to every logged‑in MSU user.
Best for: Tutoring, draft creation, note generation, and research assistance across academic and administrative tasks.
Key advantage: Unlimited usage with seamless integration to MSU resources, while keeping all data within MSU-managed systems.

Microsoft Copilot Chat

What it is: Microsoft's AI chat assistant available across all web and mobile devices.
Cost: Included with MSU’s Microsoft licensing.
Access: Available in browser, mobile app, and in Outlook (not integrated into Word, Excel, or PowerPoint without a Microsoft 365 Copilot license).
Best for: Simple AI support without needing access to your documents, email, or organizational data.
Key advantage: While logged in, keeps your data protected within your MSU account and isn’t used to train public AI models.

Microsoft 365 Copilot

What it is: Advanced AI assistant deeply integrated into Microsoft 365 apps for enhanced productivity.
Cost: $216 per year for individual users under MSU pricing.
Access: Built directly into Microsoft 365 apps with expanded capabilities.
Best for: In-app assistance with documents, data analysis, email management, and presentations.
Key advantage: Prioritized access, more consistent performance, and deeper integration with your files and workflows.

Privacy note: Prompts and responses in either version of Microsoft Copilot are not used to train its models. See Microsoft’s official privacy and security documentation.

Training

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Get online training via SkillSets

SkillSets is MSU’s free learning platform featuring curated AI education courses.

Build your skills at your own pace while exploring content tailored to your role and experience level. Request access to get started.

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Learn from the Center for Faculty Excellence

CFE provides guidance, resources, and support for using AI in teaching and course design.

Start by exploring its generative AI resources for faculty, then find more targeted support through AI training, tools, and consultation.

A group of students sitting at a table, typing on laptops and talking amongst each other

Exploration and guidance from the MSU Library

The MSU Library helps students navigate the use of AI in their academic work. It also works with faculty to understand the challenges and possibilities of AI in their research and teaching.

The library's AI guide for students covers if and when to use AI tools in academic work, prompt writing, citing AI, and ethical considerations of AI tools so students can engage thoughtfully. Faculty and students can connect with the AI Lab and AI Ambassadors for educational workshops, research consultations, and one-on-one assistance with CatChat and Tempest-backed resources.

Instructor leans over a table to point at a student’s laptop while several college students work independently or in small groups on laptops in a classroom.

Teaching

Use AI to support student learning, strengthen course design, and guide responsible use in your classroom.

AI in the classroom: Discover practical approaches for using AI in the classroom.
Establishing expectations: Consult university guidelines for syllabus language and AI use expectations to communicate what is and isn't allowed.
Creating coursework: Find faculty-tested assignments with AI across disciplines.

Learning

Use AI to support your learning and work more effectively in academic settings.

Getting started with AI: Begin with the AI guide for students to learn best practices, expectations, and how to use AI efficiently in your coursework.
Keeping data safe and eco-friendly: Learn how your data is protected in CatChat, which is powered by 80% renewable energy.

View from behind a student working a a multi-monitor computer

A picture taken over someones shoulder looking at a laptop screen and two desktop monitors. There is a computer program on the screens

Researching

Use AI to improve data analysis and drive discoveries in your work.

AI in research and scholarship: Explore guidance for integrating generative AI into your research, including steps to validate and communicate your results.
Planning AI use in research: Use the Viewfinder toolkit to assess the risks, impacts, and appropriate use of AI in research projects.
Writing effective prompts: Strong prompting techniques can improve the quality, accuracy, and usefulness of AI outputs in your research.

Responsible and ethical use

Two students looking at a computer screen. One student has a laptop in front of them.

Be transparent: State when and how AI tools were used in coursework, research, and administrative outputs.

Protect data: Do not input confidential, regulated, or proprietary information into tools unless approved for that data type and use.

Cite and check: Treat AI as a collaborator that requires verification and attribution when appropriate.

The MSU Library offers tools and guidance to support the use of AI in library and archival work through its responsible AI resource.

AI in action at MSU

In the news

AI assignment showcase

See how AI is being used in coursework by exploring assignment examples.

Faculty publications on AI

This interdisciplinary collection in ScholarWorks highlights faculty work exploring the integration of generative AI into teaching and learning.

Upcoming Events

National research symposium on artificial intelligence

Montana State University hosted a national symposium on artificial intelligence that brought leading scholars from across the United States to Bozeman to discuss how AI is transforming research.

The two-day event, titled “The Future of Research in the Age of AI,” was one of only three major symposia organized nationwide by the American Historical Association in 2025.