Photo credit Turag Photography.
The collaboration is听an important step听for听Te Whare W膩nanga o听Waitaha听|听University of听mini传媒听(UC)鈥檚听Strategic Vision,听Tangata听T奴听Tangata听Ora 2020-2030,听as听an听engaged, connected, and future focused University, explains听Kaihaut奴听Matua听K艒ahu听|听Executive Director of Planning, Finance and Digital Services, Keith Longden.
鈥淲ith deep industry expertise in听gaming, film production, cloud services and听Artificial Intelligence听we are excited about the joint opportunities that exist between both organisations,鈥 says Longden.听
Microsoft products听are already in use听across the University听and听this听new听collaboration听ensures听UC听can听make the most of those product听investments,听while听exploring听other avenues for advancement.
Microsoft is one of the biggest global game developers,听and听having听early access听to gaming innovations and products means degree programmes including UC鈥檚 Bachelor of Digital Screen (Hons) and Applied Immersive Game Design remain consistently relevant while producing highly employable, skilled graduates.听
Partnering听with influential and innovative entities like this听is integral to the success of听future-focused听initiatives听driven by the University,听like听UC Digital听Screen.
鈥淥ur students are the future of creative media in Aotearoa and beyond,鈥 explains Director of Digital Screen, Sam Witters.听鈥淥ur听collaboration听with Microsoft听is a brilliant example of how we鈥檙e听empowering听commercial and academic worlds to coexist听and work together to听create听the听tools our students need听to shape the future of digital entertainment.鈥
Chief Digital Officer Michael听Oulsnam听says a听new UC听chatbot will be听one听of听the first听exciting joint听initiatives听introduced听under听the听collaboration.听Unlike standard chatbots, this bot will use Microsoft Azure OpenAI technology to extract answers based on complex questions.
鈥淚nitially the chatbot听is being听enabled to respond听to听some of听our听most听frequently听asked questions听and听other听publicly available information.听This听could include asking where to find study spaces across the campus and how to book them.鈥澨
The information fed to the chatbot is听held in听private UC听data storage,听meaning听the bot听won鈥檛听take answers from other sources on the internet.听Information听will be听sourced from UC鈥檚听Library and Contact Centre teams,听with a strong focus on ensuring听it听is听accurate听and听well听maintained.
鈥淎s the chatbot is used for more interactions, the Digital team will be able to improve its responses and continue refining the听ever-expanding听knowledge base that the chatbot has access to," says听Oulsnam.听
鈥淭he chatbot is听also听given a听clear听job description, it is听programmed to know听what its role is and听understand听how to stay within those parameters听鈥 this prevents the chatbot from answering questions it doesn鈥檛 have the information for.鈥澨
Vanessa Sorenson, managing director of Microsoft New Zealand,听says she is听thrilled to be working together to create even further opportunities for the听University community through smart use of technology.听
鈥淭he University of mini传媒 has听a really ambitious听and innovative approach to technological transformation, from using听technology听to better support students along their learning pathway to investing in developing a screen industry on campus.听Looking at how the听University drives these kinds of developments not just for the good of its students and staff, but for the good of mini传媒, is amazing,鈥澨齭he听says.
The听collaboration, and the upcoming introduction of the听OpenAI powered听chatbot, is the latest milestone听on听UC鈥檚 digital transformation听journey.听
.png)
