Helping Visitors Find Answers Faster
Beginning July 20, visitors to the UIS website will notice a new feature designed to make finding information easier: the UIS AI Chat. You can access the chat by clicking the 'UIS AI Chat' bubble on the bottom right of the screen.
The UIS AI Chat is available throughout uis.edu and provides quick answers to questions using official UIS website content, including our existing FAQs. Whether someone is looking for admissions information, tuition and financial aid details, academic programs, campus services or event information, the chatbot helps guide them to the right resources, any time of day.
Development of the UIS AI Chat
The UIS AI Chat was developed by the Office of Web & Digital Strategy over the past two years as part of an ongoing effort to improve the digital experience for students, employees and website visitors. The team evaluated AI technologies, tested multiple models and approaches, and refined the AI chat to ensure it delivers helpful, accurate responses grounded in official UIS information.
The UIS AI Chat uses an indexed collection of content from uis.edu, including webpages and frequently asked questions, to answer users' questions and direct them to the appropriate resources. As website content is updated, the chatbot's knowledge base is refreshed so it can provide current information from official UIS sources.
The result is a faster, more intuitive way to navigate uis.edu, helping users find the information they need while complementing the personalized support provided by university offices.
What the UIS AI Chat does
The chatbot is designed to help website visitors:
- Find information faster without searching multiple webpages.
- Navigate to the appropriate UIS resources.
- Receive answers based on official content published on uis.edu.
- Access information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The UIS AI Chat links users back to relevant content so they can explore topics in greater detail.
It's a Resource for Employees, Too
The UIS AI Chat Assistant isn't just for prospective students and website visitors, it can also help faculty and staff quickly find information on uis.edu. Whether you're looking for a policy, office contact information, event details, campus resources or a specific webpage, the chatbot can help you locate answers faster using official UIS website content. It's a convenient way to navigate the website and find the information you need without searching through multiple pages.
Employee Example Questions
- How do I hire a student?
- How do I submit an IRB application?
- What are the employee benefits at UIS?
- How do I hire a new employee?
What it doesn't do
The AI chat is intended to complement, not replace, the expertise of our faculty and staff. It does not make university decisions, complete transactions or provide information that isn't available on the UIS website. Questions requiring individual assistance should continue to be directed to the appropriate university office.
How you can help
As members of the UIS community, you play an important role in helping students, families and visitors discover this new resource.
When responding to routine questions about information available on the website, consider encouraging people to try the UIS AI Chat for quick answers and easy navigation.
You can also help improve the experience by sharing feedback. If you notice inaccurate responses or identify content that should be updated on the website, please let the Web Team know at web@uis.edu. Because the chatbot relies on official website content, improving our webpages also improves the quality of its answers.
Thank you for helping us make information more accessible and enhancing the online experience for everyone who visits uis.edu.