Knightbot: Institutional AI-Enhanced Chatbot

Overview

Knightbot is UCF’s institutional AI-enhanced chatbot designed to improve how students access information, navigate the university, and engage with support services. By providing timely, personalized, and conversational support, Knightbot helps students get answers to questions, complete key tasks, and connect with resources more efficiently.

The initiative focuses on integrating AI into student support in a way that is practical, scalable, and aligned with institutional systems and strategy.

The Challenge

Students often face difficulty navigating complex institutional systems, identifying the right resources, and getting timely answers to questions. Information is distributed across websites, offices, and systems, creating barriers to access and increasing reliance on staff for routine inquiries.

At the same time, institutions must manage high volumes of student questions with limited staff capacity, making it difficult to provide consistent, responsive support at scale.

Without coordinated, technology-enabled solutions, institutions struggle to:

• provide timely and accurate information to students
• reduce friction in navigating processes and services
• support students outside of traditional office hours
• scale communication without overburdening staff

What We Do

• Design and implement an institutional AI-enhanced chatbot aligned with student needs and institutional priorities
• Integrate chatbot functionality with key student systems and support services
• Develop and refine content, responses, and workflows based on real student questions
• Use chatbot interaction data to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities for improvement
• Support staff and units in incorporating chatbot use into their communication and service strategies
• Continuously test and improve chatbot performance, usability, and impact

How This Work Is Different

Knightbot is not implemented as a standalone technology solution. It is designed as part of a broader student support ecosystem, ensuring that the chatbot is aligned with institutional processes, data systems, and service delivery models.

The work prioritizes practical implementation and continuous refinement, using real student interactions to improve performance and relevance over time. Rather than replacing human support, Knightbot is designed to extend capacity, reduce friction, and allow staff to focus on more complex student needs.

This approach ensures that AI is applied in a way that is responsible, effective, and grounded in the realities of institutional operations.

Impact

• Improves student access to timely, accurate information
• Reduces barriers to navigating institutional processes and services
• Extends support availability beyond traditional hours
• Increases efficiency by reducing routine inquiries handled by staff
• Provides actionable data on student questions, needs, and behaviors
• Strengthens the integration of AI into student support systems

Partners

Mainstay

UCF Student Success and Well-Being

UCF Student Success Technology Team

50+ participating UCF campus units