The Canvas Chatbot is Using Generative AI to Become More Helpful

For over a year now, the Northwestern Canvas Support Chatbot, an artificial intelligence-based bot created by Northwestern IT Teaching and Learning Technologies in 2018, has been incrementally incorporating generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve the helpfulness of its responses. The most recent example of its enhanced functionality is the incorporation of information related to Northwestern's academic calendar. For years, students had been asking the chatbot questions about the calendar that generally went unanswered. This summer, the chatbot team extended the sources of information that the chatbot's generative AI functionality can use by incorporating the University Registrar's academic calendar. Now, students and instructors can ask questions like, "When does Reading Week start?" or "When is the last day of Winter Quarter classes?" and get answers.

Beyond calendar questions, generative AI is used in the chatbot to improve overall responses to questions about Canvas by giving targeted answers based on informational guides written by Instructure, Canvas's vendor. Before taking advantage of generative AI, the chatbot would provide users with links to resources related to their questions. Now, searches of Canvas guides come back with a targeted answer or summary, like how Google or Bing summarize an answer to a search query.

Every user of the chatbot will know when they receive a generative AI answer because the phrase "snippet above produced using generative AI" is included with the response. Additionally, the link to the guide used in generating the response is provided with a reminder to verify its answers by visiting the linked source—a best practice when using any generative AI-based tool.

Give the Canvas Chatbot a try and see it in action for yourself!

The Northwestern IT Teaching and Learning Technologies team manages the Northwestern instance of Canvas, the Canvas Learning Center, and the Canvas Chatbot. They provide training and consultations on all things Canvas, teaching and learning using technology, and more. Visit the Canvas Onboarding for Students page on the Northwestern IT website to learn more about what you can do with Canvas, connected apps, and how the team can support you.