What is a bot?

A bot is a configured AI assistant that has been tailored to a specific purpose, role, or workflow—so it behaves the way you (or your team) want it to behave every time.

Unlike a generic AI chat (where you have to re-explain what you want in each new conversation), a custom AI bot typically includes one or more of the following:

• Saved instructions (role, tone, rules, steps, formatting)

• A defined scope (what it should and shouldn’t do)

• Guardrails (e.g., “ask clarifying questions,” “don’t invent details,” “avoid sensitive data”)

• Reusable workflows (checklists, templates, processes)

• Repeatable actions/tools (e.g., create/edit files, summarize meetings, generate reports)

• Upload reference materials once (documents, rubrics, policies, style guides)

A Gemini Gem is a customized version of Google’s Gemini AI designed to act as a specialized expert or assistant. While it integrates with Google Workspace, you can upload a wide variety of file types directly to its knowledge base. It offers a simple setup process and can even perform specific actions such as image or slide generation.

A Copilot Agent is a specialized AI aide built directly into your Microsoft 365 environment to help you create and refine content. You can easily ground the agent's knowledge using specific URLs and reference your Microsoft products in the chat. By utilizing built-in templates and detailed customization options, you can design a highly focused bot.

Which Bot for Faculty/Staff Overview:

• Gemini gems are strong for idea generation, drafting, and making sense of unstructured information.

• Copilot agents are strong for working with organizational data, policies, and processes.

• Both can be shared with other users as viewers or editors.

• Both can generate text, code, documents, presentations, and more.

Summary:

Gemini is often stronger for large-scale text exploration.
Copilot agents are often stronger for structured work and institutional integration.
Both can support research and teaching — just in different ways.

Custom Chatbot Examples from Across Campus

Harper - Student Teacher Candidate Reflection Bot

Harper is a thinking partner that teacher candidates use after they teach a lesson in the field. The purpose is to prompt them to reflect more deeply on the experience, specifically asking for data to justify how the lesson went, naming instructional strategies used that positively impacted student learning, and identifying a specific area on which to improve going forward.

Parent Call about Social Studies

The purpose of this bot is to simulate a discussion with a parent of a K-6 student who has called to complain about a social studies lesson taught. Teacher candidates do not get enough practice with interacting with families before they enter their first job, so this simulation allows for them to practice having difficult conversations around sometimes controversial topics in a low-stakes environment.

ProspectPro Research Assistant

This bot was created in order assist with prospect identification and prioritization. Specifically, this bot helps by synthesizing multiple data points and then presenting findings and recommendations in clear formats. This bot is created in BoodleBox, which is a collaborative AI platform that gives you access to many specialized AI assistants in one place.

Ask a Natural Historian

For a 400-level class in Animal Natural History, students complete a task whereby they create an entire new animal, and then describe various elements of its natural history.  This bot serves to facilitate the development animal.  The boat is armed with the assignment sheet, so it knows the goals of the activity, and “decades” worth of experience in studying the natural history of various animals.

Journal Hunter - Academic Publication Strategist

Journal Hunter acts as a strategic guide for researchers and Psychology Capstone students, seamlessly combining the roles of a librarian, editor, and academic mentor. Its primary mission is to match manuscripts, abstracts, or initial research ideas with the most suitable academic journals based on a rigorous analysis of scope, impact, and audience. Beyond mere matching, Journal Hunter enhances the quality of student work by providing critical editorial feedback on structure, clarity, and academic rigor. It also demystifies the publishing lifecycle, guiding users through submission letters, peer review responses, and ethical considerations. Ultimately, it empowers early-career researchers to navigate the complex academic landscape and maximize their chances of publication success.