SINGAPORE – Imagine having a professor in your pocket, a research assistant working behind the scenes, or a debate partner waiting at your fingertips. <\/p>\n
Chatbots and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools are fast becoming part of campus life, guiding and quizzing students through lessons.<\/p>\n
As the AI boom hits universities, students are experimenting with technology to sharpen skills, get instant feedback and personalise their learning. <\/p>\n
Students told The Straits Times that while AI does make learning feel too convenient, they check their work and ensure they still do the \u201cprimary thinking\u201d themselves. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt has the risk of making learners lazy, but when used properly, it can make the learning process very fast,\u201d said National University of Singapore (NUS) law student Serene Cheong. <\/p>\n
Dr Ranganath Vallabhajosyula from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) acknowledged that finding a balance between overusing AI and genuine learning is \u201ctricky\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cOne strategy is to rely on AI for a basic level of learning, and then gradually… apply it to learn more advanced concepts,\u201d he said, adding that the onus is on students to still take ownership of their learning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should use AI more ergonomically, wisely,\u201d Dr Ranganath said, noting that it is important to discern where AI adds value and plan its use so that it supports -\u2013 rather than replaces \u2013 critical thinking. <\/p>\n
Law students at NUS use a chatbot to practise cross-examinations in a trial advocacy course. <\/p>\n
Piloted in March, the bot simulates scenarios \u2013 from a distressed or evasive witness to a stern judge who demands precision \u2013 letting students practise questioning and courtroom etiquette.<\/p>\n
After reviewing case documents, they act as defence counsel questioning their \u2018client\u2019, while a virtual judge and prosecutor respond in real time. <\/p>\n
Year 3 law students Emmanuel Wong, 23, and Ms Cheong, 21, said the chatbot keeps them on track. Mr Wong noted that the \u2018judge\u2019 overrules them and corrects them when they ask leading questions \u2013 something their peers may not yet be trained to spot. <\/p>\n
Ms Cheong said it reduces \u201cpsychological pressure\u201d as she can practise at her own pace and regain composure.<\/p>\n
Mr Wong added that the bot helped him ask precise questions and handle non-compliant witnesses or unreasonable objections.<\/p>\n
While in-person training remains essential, the bot allows more personalised practice, testing students\u2019 grasp of concepts before tutorials and serves as a gauge of their understanding, said Associate Professor Mervyn Cheong, who drew on his experience with real cases to develop hypothetical facts and scenarios for the chatbot.<\/p>\n
Some 126 students have used the tool.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they plunge straight into in-person practices, when a lot of eyes are on them, it\u2019s difficult to overcome the anxiety,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if they do it in their own space, they have time to think and respond accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over at Singapore Management University, a design thinking bot plays the role of a stakeholder, as students negotiate and interact with clients. Rolled out in Jan 2024, nearly 400 students from the School of Computing and Information Systems have used it so far. <\/p>\n Koufu cleaner Ah Wu (centre) with SMU students (from left) Kayla Anne Vinh, Emma Foo, Ong Swee Long and Wong Jun Wei taking a photo with their prototype cart. The cart was designed to help track food waste in a way that fit the cleaner’s needs best. <\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF ONG SWEE LONG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Year 4 computing student Ong Swee Long, 25, used the bot in a sustainability course, where his group was tasked to propose a solution to tackle food waste on campus. <\/p>\n Initially drawn to a tech-driven approach, he said the AI prompted him to slow down and consider different perspectives. <\/p>\n For instance, as the bot walks students through the steps of design thinking, they are encouraged to engage with \u2018stakeholders\u2019.<\/p>\n For Mr Ong, this included students, the school\u2019s provost, food stall owners and cleaners.<\/p>\n Conversations with the virtual \u201cstakeholders\u201d even prompted the group to speak to a Koufu cleaner in person, revealing practical constraints and perspectives a purely tech solution would overlook.<\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t replace talking to actual people, but it helps us to prepare some questions that we want to ask beforehand,\u201d Mr Ong said.<\/p>\n The bot can generate prompts, problem statements, prototype options and even ideas for students to use or adapt. <\/p>\n SMU students practise negotiation, reasoning, and client interaction with AI. The bot walks students through four steps of the design thinking process \u2013 empathise, define, ideate, and prototype. During the first stage, students are encouraged to engage with relevant \u2018stakeholders\u2019.<\/p>\n PHOTO: SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Senior lecturer of information systems Kiruthika Ramanatha, who helped develop the tool, said its goal is for computer science students to think beyond technical fixes and consider human needs. <\/p>\n The AI-guided exploration ultimately led the team to design a centralised push cart with a weighing scale, cameras, and buckets to consolidate food waste tracking \u2013 replacing 16 carts the cleaner used to collect food from different stalls. <\/p>\n \u201cOther than saving time and putting everything in one place, the AI encourages students to go through the whole process before jumping straight to a solution,\u201d Mr Ong said. <\/p>\n Students are also treating AI like a round-the-clock study companion. <\/p>\n Several at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have taken learning even further by building their own bots to suit their learning styles. <\/p>\n Engineering Product Development undergraduate Anieyrudh R created \u201cGPTBernie\u201d, an AI tutor modelled on his professor Bernard Ee\u2019s teaching style, the day before his mathematics final. <\/p>\n \u201cWithin minutes, it feels like I am in his office,\u201d said the 22-year-old who cut his e-mails to his professor by 70 per cent. It was rolled out to a small group of students in April. <\/p>\n The bot helps him sort out more basic questions on his own, allowing face-to-face time with his professor to be spent on deeper, more complex conversations. <\/p>\n It also poses questions that challenge his understanding, said Mr Anieyrudh.<\/p>\n Engineering Product Development undergraduate Anieyrudh R created \u201cGPTBernie,\u201d an AI tutor modelled on his mathematics professor \u2013 complete with the professor\u2019s teaching style and explanations. <\/p>\n ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n He is leading teams of students who have, out of their own interest, developed similar bots to share with each other, expanding GPTBernie into a library of \u2018GPTProfs\u2019 that assist with administrative tasks, project design and teaching support. <\/p>\n At Nanyang Technological University\u2019s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, AnatBuddy \u2013 an AI anatomy chatbot \u2013 helps first- and second-year students apply clinical knowledge. <\/p>\n Learning anatomy in a traditional setting is usually monotonous, said Dr Ranganath Vallabhajosyula, who helped develop the chatbot. AnatBuddy, which was introduced in November, changes that by pushing students to think deeper. <\/p>\n Instead of simply naming parts, students are prompted to explore clinical \u201cwhat if\u201d questions. <\/p>\n \u201cThey start thinking, \u2018Where is it? What does it do? What happens if it\u2019s damaged?\u2019\u201d said Dr Ranganath, adding that this reflects deeper engagement and stronger conceptual understanding.<\/p>\n Students also arrive better prepared and able to ask professors more substantive questions, he said.<\/p>\n For students at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, they have a full-on learning companion called the the iSmartGuide that dishes out bite-sized study units, powered by features like an AI tutor, and flashcard and quiz generator, so students can learn at their own pace anytime and anywhere.<\/p>\n SINGAPORE UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Those at the Singapore University of Social Sciences have an AI learning companion called the iSmartGuide that dishes out bite-sized lessons, flashcards, and quizzes.<\/p>\n Since its launch in June 2025, the platform has served over 22,000 students. <\/p>\n Singapore Institute of Technology\u2019s in-house platform, ClassAId, lets instructors create custom bots for any subject, from AI tutors to roleplay partners. As students interact with these bots, instructors gain real-time insights into their learning, enabling more targeted feedback.<\/p>\n Another SIT innovation, CommunicAId, acts like a personal communication coach that helps students rehearse professional scenarios, navigate tricky conversations or get instant feedback on assignments. <\/p>\n Research is another area that AI has proven to be useful in. <\/p>\n Since January, medical students at NTU have been using Rileybot, which helps them gather information from databases.<\/p>\n Senior medical librarian Rebecca David said that students are often confused or intimidated by traditional databases because each has a different interface. <\/p>\n NTU’s LKC Medicine has developed two bots for their students, one that trains them on anatomy, and another that acts a smart guide, helping students with scientific research.<\/p>\n PHOTO: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n RileyBot guides them through accurate literature searches and is more precise than regular bots like ChatGPT, she said, adding that knowing how to carry out error-free searches is an essential skill for high-level research.<\/p>\n Over 500 students have used Rileybot and Anatbuddy so far.<\/p>\n \u201cOne bot is about technology, and the other is regarding medical anatomy,\u201d said Dr Ranganath.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we bring these two together and bring it into the regular life of learning, it gives students more confidence and ownership of their learning.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/picture><\/div>
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