The University of Syracuse Introduced Its New AI Platform for Teaching and Learning
- The University of Syracuse has introduced its new AI platform, MentorAI, for teaching and learning.
- MentorAI allows instructors to upload course materials and generate an AI tutor that can answer student questions and surface key points.
- The platform uses a pay-per-API-call model, eliminating the need for premium licenses, and allows administrators to mix and match models from various sources.
- Syracuse University owns data and code, giving it flexibility to adopt newer models as they mature without being tied to specific license agreements.
- The introduction of MentorAI also highlights the Blackboard AI Design Assistant, which suggests quiz items, assignments, and rubrics while maintaining instructor control.
IBL News | New York
The University of Syracuse, this month, during the forum “AI at Work,” presented its AI platform developed in collaboration with ibl.ai, the parent company of this news service.
At the center is MentorAI, a platform run entirely inside Syracuse’s cloud tenancies.
Andrew Joncas, Leader, Architect, and Technology Evangelist, at Syracuse University, explained, “Creating an AI tutor no longer requires prompt-engineering expertise. Instructors upload a syllabus, slide deck, or even an MP4 lecture; Mentor AI generates an agent that can answer student questions, surface key points, or embed directly in Blackboard.”
Syracuse University owns data and code and pays by the API call rather than per-seat license; therefore, there’s no premium license, and administrators can mix and match models — from OpenAI GPT-4o to Google Gemini or open-source Llama. This approach also allows the university to adopt newer models as they mature.
The same event highlighted the Blackboard AI Design Assistant, where AI suggests quiz items, assignments, and rubrics, as Michael Morrison stressed, the instructor remains in charge.