The University of Michigan (UM) has collaborated with Google Public Sector to launch an innovative artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual teaching assistant (TA) designed specifically for business students. This pioneering initiative was announced at the recent ASU+GSV Summit.
The virtual TA leverages Google Gemini’s agentic AI technology to provide students with 24/7 support. Educators can tailor these virtual assistants to their specific curricula, enabling them to explain complex course concepts, guide students through problem-solving exercises, and act as study buddies. The AI is designed to foster critical thinking in students by providing guidance without directly giving away answers.
According to Chris Hein, Field Chief Technology Officer at Google Public Sector, ‘Google Public Sector is proud to pioneer this personalized learning approach to improve educational delivery, provide early identification for intervention, and help educators solve some of their most pressing challenges.’ The platform provides educators with real-time anonymized analytics on student interactions, including frequently asked questions and feedback on the virtual TA’s effectiveness.
After piloting the virtual TA across various courses such as statistics, financial technology, and operations strategy, the UM team observed increased student engagement and gained deeper insights into learning patterns. The pilot program will contribute to a comprehensive research study involving 9,000 students across 26 institutions, aiming to develop guidelines for deploying virtual TAs in diverse educational settings.
Jun Li, Professor of Technology and Operations at UM, noted, ‘We’re integrating today’s leading technology to improve the educational experience for our students. We’ve seen early indications of success in leveraging the AI-powered Virtual TA and look forward to further using this tool to advance learning.’
The study will help colleges and universities understand the potential benefits and challenges of implementing virtual TAs, paving the way for more effective and personalized education delivery methods.
