AI Agent for Academic Guidance

The primary way in which learners engage with content in the IITM BS degree program is through the SEEK portal. This portal includes:

  • Learning videos
  • Assignments
  • Resources
  • Practice and graded assignments
  • Programming quizzes

The SEEK portal serves as a learning environment, enabling students to learn at their own pace and schedule.

Project Overview

With the rapid advancement of Generative AI (GenAI) technologies, there are promising opportunities to integrate AI into learning environments. The goal of this project is to develop an AI agent that enhances the learning experience for students enrolled in the IITM BS program.

Role of the AI Agent

The agent will function as a virtual guide, assisting students in:

  • Navigating course material
  • Improving study habits
  • Adhering to academic integrity principles

Key Guidelines

  • The agent should not provide direct answers to assignments or quizzes.
  • Instead, it should nudge students toward better learning strategies and suggest helpful resources.
  • Course-specific guidance should be dynamic, reflecting available assignments and materials.
  • The agent should direct students to credible references, official materials, and discussions to address queries.

Technical Constraints

Standard Conversational Features

The agent should include core functionalities of modern conversational AI, such as:

  • Conversation threading to maintain context across interactions
  • Artifact storage for key interactions and recommendations
  • Rate limits and defined context window to optimize performance

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) Architecture

  • The agent should use a pre-indexed knowledge base for handling common queries.
  • This minimizes unnecessary calls to the Language Model (LLM) for frequently asked questions.

Academic Integrity

  • The agent must strictly adhere to academic ethics.
  • It should avoid providing specific solutions for assessments.
  • Instead, it should focus on general learning strategies and guidance.

Additional Considerations

The examples provided are just to give an idea of possible features. You are encouraged to explore additional innovative ideas to improve the AI agent’s capabilities.