Brandon Briggs, assistant commissioner of college and advising at THECB, briefed the advisory committee on the board’s use of a chatbot and how THECB integrates human advisers with generative AI to support students.
Briggs said the coordinating board uses an Abby chatbot from Mainstay that mines institutional websites and knowledge bases to provide applicants and students automated answers to routine questions about ApplyTexas, admissions criteria and deadlines, financial aid and other common matters. He emphasized that the board checks mined information on the back end before delivering it to students to reduce AI‑generated inconsistencies.
"We are checking it on the back end to make sure it's accurate," Briggs said, adding that the tool is configured so the knowledge base is intentionally limited and curated, rather than dumping all web content into the model.
Briggs described a two-tier support model: automated chatbot responses supplemented by five full‑time THECB advisers who handle escalations and more complex questions. Since the program’s 2020 relaunch, Briggs said the chatbot service had been used by more than one million students, and he reported an escalation rate to human advisers of about 4 percent. The advisers rotate schedules, extending service into evening hours on some days.
Briggs also described career‑focused AI tools institutions have used, including resume review, mock interviews and automated feedback, and said campuses often pair the AI tool with human review to maintain quality and safety. He encouraged institutions to set clear parameters for knowledge bases and to plan for risk and safety prompts — for example, ensuring the chatbot redirects students to emergency or counseling resources when appropriate.
Committee members asked about vendor selection criteria, data security and escalation metrics. Briggs said some vendor contracts in institutional procurement processes include required security and certification reviews; he offered to share escalation metrics on request.
The committee did not vote on policy during the discussion; members asked staff to continue sharing best practices and offer opportunities for peer institutions to compare vendor experiences and procurement approaches.