15 July 2025

The Digital Ally

By Siegie Brownlee, CEO of Eduvos

In an era where a single unanswered question can derail a student’s academic journey, artificial intelligence is stepping in, not to replace humans, but to support them. Siegie Brownlee, CEO of Eduvos, explores how institutions are transforming student support by deploying human-centred AI tools that make assistance more accessible, personalised, and empathetically human.

Picture a first-year student at 3:00 AM, anxious about looming payment deadlines, or an international learner grappling with unfamiliar financial systems in a second language. These moments, when families are continents away and campus offices are closed, are exactly where AI is revolutionising student support.

The transition to tertiary education brings a wave of 'firsts’, new financial responsibilities, academic pressures, and independence that may overwhelm even the most prepared students. Moreover, traditional student support frameworks face mounting pressures, from resource constraints, accessibility barriers, and the growing complexity of navigating academic, financial, and career requirements, among many others. Forward-thinking institutions are bridging this significant gap with intelligent systems that meet students when and where they need support most. The challenge is in implementing technology that empowers staff while improving the student experience. In the rush of the digital age, the time for human contact on the important things has never been more crucial.  Let staff focus on connections and human element requirements – and leave Bots to take care of cumbersome admin and routine.

Global Trends in AI-Enhanced Student Support

Around the world, AI is augmenting, not replacing the critical human role in student success.

At Georgia State University in the United States, the AI chatbot “Pounce” helped reduce “summer melt” (accepted students who never enrol) by 21%, answering over 200,000 questions and improving graduation rates. Arizona State University’s “Hey Sunny” chatbot offers 24/7 academic and administrative support, reducing staff workload and improving student satisfaction.

In Ireland, the University of Galway’s “Cara” guides students through complex information, enhancing access without replacing services. At the University of Bolton in the UK, “Bolt” answered over 15,000 queries in its first term, achieving a 94% satisfaction rate.

The Transformative Advantages of AI in Student Support

The introduction of well-trained Bots reveals several key benefits beyond mere efficiency:

• Accessibility Without Limits: AI assistants provide 24/7 support that aligns with student schedules. Whether it’s a midnight financial question or a weekend enrolment registration issue, help is always available.
• Personalisation at Scale: With appropriate privacy safeguards, AI tools use individual data to provide tailored responses, replacing generic answers with ones directly relevant to the student’s needs.
• Enhanced Human Capacity: At Eduvos, the implementation of “Finlee,” a new AI financial assistant bot, has led to a 40% reduction in time spent on relevant routine queries and a 30% increase in-student consultations. Over the past year, 84.4% of queries have been handled by “Finlee,” with an average resolution time under six minutes.

Addressing Concerns: Complementary, Not Replacement

While powerful, AI has limits. It cannot replicate the empathy or nuance of human interaction. A chatbot may explain financial aid, but it cannot fully grasp a student’s stress or complex personal context. Data privacy, algorithmic bias, and transparency must also be addressed. Students have the right to know what information is collected, how it’s used, and who can access it. Institutions must ensure systems don’t perpetuate inequality through biased algorithms or unequal access. Equally important is the ethical governance of AI tools: institutions must implement clear policies that ensure data integrity, mitigate unintended consequences, and uphold fairness. This includes ongoing audits, inclusive training data, and ethical review processes to ensure that AI reinforces – rather than undermines – student trust, equity, and wellbeing.

The Collaborative Model

The most effective approach treats AI as part of a broader ecosystem. “Finlee,” for example, is programmed to recognise when a student needs human help, triggering a “warm handoff” to an advisor in roughly a minute and a half. This ensures efficiency whilst preserving empathetic, personalised support. The AI assistant also handles routine enquiries that previously consumed significant staff time, allowing financial advisors to focus on students with complex circumstances requiring nuanced guidance. This human-AI collaboration creates a tiered support system where technology manages high-volume questions while human experts address situations demanding empathy, judgement, and personalised problem-solving.

It’s Evolution, Not Revolution

The integration of AI in student support is an evolution, enhancing human capabilities rather than replacing them. By deploying tools like “Finlee” to manage high-volume queries, institutions create more responsive and effective systems. At the same time, they empower staff to concentrate on where their expertise and compassion matter most. As higher education continues to grapple with challenges of scale, accessibility, and personalisation, well-designed AI solutions offer a promising path forward. The best implementations see AI not as a substitute for human connection, but as a tool to strengthen it.

Educational institutions should approach AI integration with both optimism and care, embracing innovation while ensuring it complements and empowers the professionals who remain central to effective student support. In doing so, they reaffirm their core mission: helping students navigate challenges and realise their full potential.