Artificial intelligence tools are showing up everywhere — in our browsers, our inboxes, and our daily workflows. And while AI can be a genuine productivity boost, there’s a question every UT employee should be asking before they start typing: Is this information I should be putting into an AI?
OneIT has a clear, simple answer. Never enter personal or student information into an AI tool. That means any data protected under FERPA — student names, grades, ID numbers, enrollment status, academic records, or any other personally identifiable education records — stays out of AI, full stop. A single accidental paste into a chatbot can constitute a FERPA violation, with real consequences for students, staff, and the university. Once data is submitted, there is no undo.
To help employees navigate the use of AI based on data types, the OneIT has published an AI Guidance Matrix to help eliminate some of the guesswork. The chart maps out exactly which types of data can—and cannot—be used with different categories of AI tools, covering seven data.
To help employees navigate the use of AI based on data types, the OIT has published an AI Guidance Matrix to help eliminate some of the guesswork. The chart maps out which types of data can — and cannot — be used with the various AI platforms from Public, Non-UT Managed to UT-Contracted: Centrally Managed AI. The six data classifications include Public, Internal Use Only, Private: FERPA, Restricted: PII, Restricted: HIPAA, and CUI.
We kindly ask that you familiarize yourself with these AI guidance best practices and when in doubt, ask for clarification.