Add as a preferred source on Google


Grand Valley State Intros AI-Powered Campus Assistant

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 11/09/20
myBlueLaker app

A new app at Grand Valley State University will serve as a campus assistant for students. MyBlueLaker Assistant uses voice and artificial intelligence to help students answer questions about such topics as buildings, transportation and dining; registration and class details; and grade alerts.

Students who log in with their student ID can connect to their own records and ask questions specific to their individual needs. And the app uses current location data to generate directions to buildings and points of interest on campus and current bus route information.

The app was built on a platform produced by n-Powered specifically for use by higher education. To generate answers, the company's API allows the app to collect information from various campus applications, including the learning management system, the registrar's system, marketing, student identity, financial aid and others.

According to the university, the app "will continue to improve." As users ask questions, it will learn more about the kind of information they're really seeking. Users can provide feedback in the app via a thumbs-up and thumbs-down response.

The program runs in standard browsers, as well as on Apple and Google devices.

"By working directly with Grand Valley State University, we were able to provide an instrumental and personalized communication tool that meets the needs of the students and reduces the stress of a new semester," said Somen Saha, president and CEO at n-Powered, in a press release.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • hooded figure types on a laptop, with abstract manifesto-like posters taped to the wall behind them

    Hacktivism Is a Growing Threat to Higher Education

    In recent years, colleges and universities have faced an evolving array of cybersecurity challenges. But one threat is showing signs of becoming both more frequent and more politically charged: hacktivism.

  • Hand holding a stylus over a tablet with futuristic risk management icons

    Why Universities Are Ransomware's Easy Target: Lessons from the 23% Surge

    Academic environments face heightened risk because their collaboration-driven environments are inherently open, making them more susceptible to attack, while the high-value research data they hold makes them an especially attractive target. The question is not if this data will be targeted, but whether universities can defend it swiftly enough against increasingly AI-powered threats.

  • digital book with circuit patterns

    Turnitin and ACUE Partner on AI Training for Educators

    Turnitin is teaming up with the Association of College and University Educators to create a series of courses on AI and academic integrity designed to help faculty navigate the responsible use of AI in learning and assessment.

  • student with headphones engaged in virtual learning

    Virtual Learning that Works: 4 Ways to Build Real Engagement

    As colleges and universities expand online offerings, the goal now is clear: Build environments where students actively participate, not passively attend.