David Balleza, a third-year student of PC Techniques Engineering at the university, had always been hesitant to knock on professors’ doors whenever he encountered an obstacle in his research, preferring instead to struggle through challenges independently. His reticence is tempered by a disclaimer: abstract concepts in his field make it challenging to obtain the right support. As soon as TECgpt burst into his life.
“This breakthrough technology is truly a game-changer,” he remarks. Having an expert alongside you enables seamless collaboration.
TECgpt1 The innovative AI-driven platform, developed by Mexico’s prestigious private institution, strives to revolutionize education by tailoring learning experiences to individual students’ needs, streamlining academic processes, empowering educators with creative flexibility, and freeing them from mundane tasks.
The platform, built on Azure OpenAI Service utilizing OpenAI’s GPT-4o, is defined by a diverse range of tools and distinguished by two primary characteristics: administrative and tutorial in nature. This marks one of numerous pioneering AI projects in Latin America.
Lately, Balleza found himself struggling to grasp the intricacies of a computer algorithm that had been discussed in class just a few days prior, its underlying mechanics proving stubbornly elusive. Classmates didn’t fully grasp the concept, and the professor’s unavailability compounded the issue. Upon receiving his request for the Tutorial TECbot, a dedicated 24/7 learning companion, the AI-generated tool swiftly produced a detailed explanation that finally made sense to him.
Balleza, a participant in a pioneering AI assistant pilot program, reports feeling an unprecedented sense of empowerment and confidence in his research endeavors following his experience with the innovative tool. Behind his expertise lay the tireless efforts of professors who meticulously compiled instructional materials, seamlessly merging sophisticated curricula with tailored tutorial content specifically crafted to meet his unique needs.
The Technological Institute of Monterrey, a venerable institution with an 81-year legacy, has consistently pushed boundaries in innovation and technological prowess since introducing computers in the 1960s. Located in the heart of Monterrey, a thriving industrial hub in northern Mexico, just 100 miles from the US border in Texas.
Carles Abarca, vice president for digital transformation at the college, notes that “from the outset, it was clear AI’s impact would be so profound that the sooner we adapted and charted our own course, the greater the potential reward.”
Customers can access AI techniques through the college’s secure intranet portal on their personal computer or via a dedicated mobile application. Expertise is tailored to suit individual roles, whether professor, student, or colleague, aligning with the institution’s staff categorization. Developed to cater to the diverse needs of over 116,000 stakeholders, comprising approximately 35,000 staff members, 11,000 professors, and more than 90,000 college students across two dozen campuses in Mexico, ensuring widespread accessibility and usability.
Inside and exterior information
The platform seamlessly integrates both internal and external data through its diverse features. Accessible instruments include those available to all staff and college students, featuring a natural language chat that leverages internal knowledge to respond to inquiries about tuition, scholarships, and campus shuttle schedules, among other topics, which students praise for being a significant time-saver. The tool also features a chat interface that allows access to external information, as well as the ability to summarise text and generate images based on given prompts.
Academic institutions utilize a distinct range of educational tools, exclusively designed to align with specific courses, which are solely accessed by educators and learners alike. The platform is divided into three interconnected components: Talent Studio, where educators can develop teaching resources, encompassing workout routines, mock exams, and quizzes; Tutorial TECbot and Librarian, functioning as personalized tutors for students.
The library assistant can efficiently locate books and handbooks from more than 60 million sources within the college’s extensive library collection, as well as access diverse licensed digital content.
Within just 12 months of its launch, TECgpt has achieved significant traction, now being used by over 3,000 customers on a monthly basis. While the tutorial instruments have been in beta testing thus far, they are expected to be available to all academics and approximately 5,000 students by early 2025, according to Abarca.
Students participating in the pilot program credit the platform with facilitating a swift and efficient bridging of knowledge gaps. Professors attest that this innovation has empowered them to streamline tedious tutorial tasks and unearth fresh, innovative insights for enhanced learning outcomes.
