Instructional AI Pilot

UC San Diego is conducting an ongoing pilot program to explore how secure, generative AI can enhance teaching and learning across campus. Powered by TritonGPT, the university’s secure AI platform, the program provides participating instructors with access to custom AI assistants designed to support instruction and student engagement.

TritonGPT uses "Retrieval-Augmented Generation" (RAG). This technical approach grounds the AI's knowledge in course materials provided by instructors such as lecture slides, study guides, readings, and recorded lecture transcripts. While the AI language model maintains general knowledge, its primary function is to act as an expert on the specific content taught in a course.

UC San Diego will use this pilot's findings to refine these tools and evaluate the feasibility of offering them to all faculty on an opt-in basis.

AI Assistants for Participating Instructors

Instructors participating in the pilot receive two distinct, course-specific AI assistants:

Instructor AI Assistant

Accessible only to instructors and their designated collaborators (like TA/IAs), this assistant helps streamline course development workflows. It can be used to:

• Generate instructional content: Create quizzes, lecture summaries, and study guides.
• Repurpose materials: Instantly transform video transcripts into structured notes or outlines.
• Brainstorm ideas: Explore new ways to structure their course or explain complex topics.

Student AI Assistant

Available to all enrolled students in the course, this assistant helps them engage more deeply with instructor-selected materials. It is designed to:

• Act as a Socratic tutor: Guide students toward answers and encourage critical thinking rather than simply providing solutions.
• Offer instant clarification: Answer student questions based strictly on the approved course content.
• Increase engagement: Provide a safe, interactive space for students to explore topics at their own pace.

How the Pilot Works: A Simple & Secure Process

The system is designed for ease of use through a secure Google Drive integration.

1. Setup: Instructors create a Google Drive folder named with their course ID.
2. Organization: Two subfolders are automatically created: one for the private Instructional AI assistant, and one for the Student-facing AI Assistant.
3. Content Sync: Instructors add their course files to the appropriate folders. The assistants automatically check for new or updated content every 30 minutes.

Supported File Types:

The platform supports a wide range of formats, including Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Microsoft Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), PDF, TXT, CSV, MD, HTML, and JSON.

Support & Logistics

• Collaboration: TAs or co-instructors are invited to participate alongside the primary instructor.
• Canvas Integration: A link to the Student AI Assistant is available from the Canvas course if available.
• Usage Insights: Monthly, anonymized reports of student prompts are available to help instructors understand where students are struggling or most engaged.
• Dedicated Support: The pilot team will provide full technical support to participants throughout the quarter.

Contact Us

Interested in learning more? Would you like to join the pilot? Email us at AI-Pilots@ucsd.edu to schedule an overview.