Artificial intelligence added to IT Service Desk chat

Whether you're working or studying on campus or remotely, technical support is only a click away, thanks to the IT Service Desk chat feature. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the chat allows you to speak directly with a live agent at any time. As of Dec. 9, the chat also will incorporate an artificial intelligence (AI) component that can quickly answer many frequently asked questions. The AI "virtual agent" functions by scanning technical articles available in Penn State's Knowledge Base and other online resources to quickly answer questions related to many technical issues, from connecting to Wi-Fi to troubleshooting issues with video conferencing. If the AI needs more context to answer a question, it will ask for additional information.