Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
Wake Tech, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, utilizes Element451 for admissions-focused AI chatbots. Their use of the software is an example of what could be added to Aiken Technical College’s website — AI Agents that can talk with prospective students through text chats, or through voice chats similar to a phone call.
Aiken Technical College is soon to implement new automation technology, including AI chatbots catered toward students.
Aiken Standard Reporter
Erin Weeks is a reporter with the Aiken Standard. She covers education in Aiken County.
Erin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Aiken. Her first poetry book, “Origins of My Love,” was published by Bottlecap Press in 2022.
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Aiken Technical College is soon to implement new automation technology, including AI chatbots catered toward students.
AIKEN — Automation technology is making its way to Aiken Technical College thanks to Element451, an AI-powered platform that provides a wide variety of services including Artificial Intelligence chatbots meant to aid students with questions about academic programs and the college admissions process.
These kinds of tools have become increasingly common as many businesses and colleges have added some form of AI chat to their websites to streamline customer support.
Element451 services will be rolled out incrementally by the college within a 9-12 month timeline, starting with a more public-facing chat bot that will be featured on the college’s website.
The platform will eventually consolidate a number of services the college already uses separately, including its current text messaging system and customer relationship management tools, unifying them on one platform.
AI chat tools that are catered specifically to students are also expected to be introduced.
Melinda Rodgers, vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, said that Element451 software has the ability to send reminders to individual students based on their information and will automatically flag alarming changes, such as a sudden grade drops, for faculty to review.
“One of the great things about Element451 is that it’s tied into our information systems. So as long as the student is logged in, it’s going to know the students,” she said. “It’s going to know information about them, information about their program, whether they’re registered or not, and what classes they’re taking. So this information will stop being so generic, and will be very specific to the individual student.”
It also has the ability to track when students participate in student engagement activities, giving the college insight into which events draw more interest.
“National research shows that students who feel like they belong on campus and who are more engaged actually have better outcomes,” Rodgers said. “They complete their classes with higher grades and complete their programs more successfully. We want to make sure that we’re driving everything toward that completion point. This is really going to give us some really good data about how that’s going. We’ll see what events students are really drawn to.”
She shared more information about how the chatbots function – and what they’re allowed to say.
“The AI bot agents through Element451 can work in multiple ways,” she said. “A student can go to our website and start having a conversation from anywhere to ‘how do I submit a new application?’ to ‘how do I pick a program?’ or ‘tell me more about a program’. So it’s going to really be that interactive experience of getting the information they need 24/7.”
She said these AI chat services, called AI Agents by Element 451, will ensure that common questions are able to be answered even after the college’s regular business hours.
The chatbots are able to communicate via text chats, or through a voice chat feature that is similar to being on a phone call.
Wake Tech, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, utilizes Element451 for admissions-focused AI chatbots. Their use of the software is an example of what could be added to Aiken Technical College’s website — AI Agents that can talk with prospective students through text chats, or through voice chats similar to a phone call.
Rodgers added that information provided by chatbots will be tailored to Aiken Tech and will be programmed by the college with what it can say to students. “It’ll use everything on our website, including our academics and our catalog. We also build a separate knowledge base of all the specific information that we want the agent to know,” she said.
At the point the chatbots can no longer answer the questions it’s being asked, Rodgers said it will provide a list of campus contacts for the student to reach out to.
“We know that there are people who are iffy about AI…we are specifically programming it, and we are tying it to our information,” she said. “So it’s only really saying what we’ve told it to say. Really, we think this is going to help people who aren’t able to get to us during normal business hours. This will just be that support that they need.”
Aiken Technical College President Dr. Forest Mahan spoke about the impact of modernization on student success.
“Innovation is one of our college values; therefore, we are continuously seeking ways to better serve the needs of our students,” he said. “This platform will enable our teams to streamline processes and have a holistic view of our students’ journey, from inquiry as prospective students through graduation from Aiken Tech. As a result, our students will have a more personalized experience and get the information and services they need at the right point in time to help them be successful in their journey.”
Aiken Standard Reporter
Erin Weeks is a reporter with the Aiken Standard. She covers education in Aiken County.
Erin is a graduate of the University of South Carolina Aiken. Her first poetry book, “Origins of My Love,” was published by Bottlecap Press in 2022.
To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers »
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