Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tutor student team from The Lesley H. and William L. Collins College of Professional Studies presented their project, "AI Tutor: Advancing Education through Generative AI and Large Language Models," at the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Annual Conference. The event took place from December 11 to 13 at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown in Philadelphia, PA.

According to Fazel Keshtkar, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Division of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Science, "The students’ participation in this prestigious event not only highlighted their innovative work but also opened doors to new collaborations and broader recognition within the academic community."

The AI Tutor system attracted attention for its innovative use of Generative AI in programming education. Attendees, including professors, showed interest in the tool's potential. Dr. Keshtkar noted that "AI Tutor received significant attention, and the reception was very positive," adding that "visitors, especially a few professors, remarked about how important it is to have a system like this to help teach courses."

An unexpected outcome of the conference was the interest in expanding AI Tutor's capabilities beyond programming into other academic disciplines. This suggests opportunities for cross-disciplinary applications.

Dr. Keshtkar expressed pride in the team's achievements: "I’m incredibly proud of the AI Tutor team for their impressive presentation at MSCHE," he said. "Their work received well-deserved recognition, demonstrating its potential to transform education. Their ability to engage with experts highlights the impact of their innovation. Their success at MSCHE reflects their dedication and the power of interdisciplinary collaboration to address real-world challenges."