Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing education and workforce development in exciting ways. At San Jacinto College, we are using AI to improve student support and boost productivity for staff and faculty.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Outlined below are definitions regularly used when discussing artificial intelligence:
Artificial Intelligence
Applies advanced analysis and logic-based techniques including machine learning to
interpret events, support and automate decisions, deliver experiences, and take actions.
Difference between Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence can mimic human cognitive functions. Machine learning is a
subset of artificial intelligence that uses mathematical models to teach computers
to learn and improve on their own.
Generative Artificial Intelligence is also a subset of Artificial Intelligence
While traditional artificial intelligence systems rely on pre-existing data and patterns,
generative artificial intelligence creates new content by using algorithms such as
large language models, to learn patterns from a dataset, and then generate new data
that follows those patterns.
Retrieval-Augmented Generation
Retrieval-augmented generation is a natural language processing technique that combines
the capabilities of traditional information retrieval systems with generative artificial
intelligence large language models to produce more relevant and accurate text.
Artificial Intelligence IN THE CLASSROOM
Our Belief in Artificial Intelligence Workforce Opportunities
While there is much public concern regarding artificial intelligence replacing jobs
and impact on career choice, we believe the impact of artificial intelligence will
move the workforce further up the value chain – requiring continual upskilling in
the supervision and critical assessment of the results, products, and automations
delivered by artificial intelligence.
Statewide Artificial Intelligence Core Elements Course
We are working with THECB Artificial Intelligence Project Advisory Group on an artificial intelligence core elements course to be offered state-wide for faculty,
employees, and potentially students. The course includes topics such as ethics, appropriate
use, basic prompts, and benefits of artificial intelligence.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence classes within existing programs
We are engaging our industry advisory councils and committees to understand their
specific needs for workforce skills and adding artificial intelligence classes to
existing programs, such as Bachelor of Cybersecurity.
Developing proposal for a certificate in Artificial Intelligence
We are working on a proposal for an artificial intelligence certificate course. Our
technology partners also offer their own certification pathways for employment opportunities
either with their companies or customers that use their products and services. Our
goal is to offer similar pathways as either separate non-credit certification programs
or embed these within our existing degree programs.
AI at San Jac
Since 2018, we’ve used artificial intelligence to improve student services, providing
24/7 support to make college resources easier to access. From our first chatbot to
new genAI tools, we’re focused on helping students succeed with smarter technology.
- Began artificial intelligence journey by partnering with IBM to implement Watson chatbot (Ask Jac) on the sanjac.edu website
- Chatbot provides 24/7 automated student access to information about degrees, programs, financial aid, advisory services, and registration status
- Initiative supports College's digital holistic student support strategy, based on design thinking and student persona journey mapping
- Immediate adoption: Over 15,000 unique visitors in first semester, crucial information channel during pandemic
- Added secure identity management access (IAM) for student data access
- Integrated live advisor NICE chatbot for live advising
- Implemented Watson Discovery for artificial intelligence powered knowledge base ingestion
*Note: multi-lingual features did not meet expectations and were not implemented
- Collaborating with IBM to add Watson X enhanced generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) capabilities
- Expecting improved chatbot usefulness and broader audience attraction
- Goals include enhanced conversational interactions and multi-lingual support
Pilot Projects
We are running Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) pilot projects to explore real-world use cases, assess resource needs, shape artificial intelligence policies, and plan future investments.
Enhanced Student Services and Tutoring with Multilingual Digital Avatars
We are partnering with Dell and Uniqee to pilot a multilingual digital human avatar named Jaci. This innovative avatar has the potential to replace the chatbot interface on our website. Jaci is showcased on large interactive screens at each campus, where we are exploring its many possible benefits, such as providing interactive tutoring and enhancing onsite student support. To further engage our community, we are hosting brown bag sessions with CIT students to demonstrate and discuss this technology.
Testing Microsoft CoPilot: Artificial Intelligence Tools for Productivity
Improved Access to Information with Generative Artificial Intelligence
Generative artificial intelligence is helping faculty and staff access information more efficiently, improving both student outcomes and employee productivity. This includes:
- Using the College’s ImprovE database with generative artificial intelligence to provide specific actions and proven interventions to achieve better results.
- Enhancing access to internal communications, calendars, directories, policies, procedures, and forms to boost employee knowledge and productivity.
- Creating an internal AI persona to help leaders, faculty, and staff learn about the College’s accreditation requirements and get their questions answered.
Opportunities and Challenges
Artificial intelligence is changing higher education with tools like personalized
learning and automated assessments. While promising, it also raises challenges like
protecting academic integrity and intellectual property.
- Risk of unauthorized faculty content use in large language models
- Ongoing policy updates for artificial intelligence and data privacy
- Focus on consent and artificial intelligence generated content ownership
- Enhanced plagiarism detection capabilities
- Current limitations in artificial intelligence detection accuracy
- Faculty collaboration on result evaluation
- Automation of routine tasks
- Personalized learning experiences
- Artificial Intelligence powered tutoring systems
- Integration with learning management systems
- Potential decline in human interaction
- Impact on critical thinking development
- Need for balanced implementation
- Significant licensing costs
- Data privacy and intellectural property concerns
