NTU Singapore and Google Cloud develop new rapid-response virtual assistant to help address freshmen queries
NTU Singapore has rolled out a new virtual assistant powered by Google Cloud to help some 6,000 incoming freshmen
transition to university life on the NTU Smart Campus.
Named Project Lyon 2.0, the virtual assistant chatbot complements the virtual Freshmen Orientation held online, which replaces the annual in-person Freshman Orientation programme due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project demonstrates the NTU Smart Campus vision to harness digital technology and tech-enabled solutions to support better learning and living experiences, the discovery of new knowledge, and the sustainability of resources.
Aimed at providing the newly matriculated students an easy-to-use mobile experience, the virtual assistant will help to direct them to the right resources that they need and to assist the university in the smooth running of onboarding activities.
Together with cloud consulting partner OniGroup, NTU’s Centre for IT Services (CITS) worked with Google Cloud to programme and ‘train’ the new chatbot to provide a better experience which was developed with inputs from students.
Powered by Google Cloud's Mega Agent technology, the new chatbot has enhanced conversational flows, allowing it to hold a conversation similar to talking with a real person, which will help to drive a wider usage of the chatbot among the freshmen and other users in NTU.
