Instructions for using aalto.fi AI helpers
Aalto.fi has three different AI helpers that generate answers to questions based on the content available on the website:
- Chat with aalto.fi (currently available for internal users only)
- Student Guide AI helper
- Applicant’s AI helper
It is important to note that AI-generated answers may contain inaccuracies. Remember to always verify the information you receive from the original source on the website.
How do the AI-powered helpers work?
The AI helpers use a large language model (LLM) to generate answers to questions through a conversational interface. When you send a question to one of the helpers, the feature will retrieve responses from several relevant pages on aalto.fi and generate a single answer. The AI-generated answers always contain source links to the content from which the answers were retrieved.
The three features explained:
| Feature | For who | Content on which the answers are based on | Example questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chat with aalto.fi | Internal users (employees and students) | All aalto.fi content |
“How can I get a new work computer?” “How do I make an expense report?” |
| Student Guide AI helper | Current Aalto students | All Student Guide content |
“What support services are available for students?” “Where can I find the 2026–2028 curriculum for the Master’s programme in Accounting?” |
| Applicant’s AI helper | Anyone interested in studying at Aalto | Content and instructions related to applying to Aalto |
“What is student life like at Aalto?” “When does the next application period for Master’s programmes start?” |
How to get the best results?
Your question impacts the quality of the AI-generated reply. To get the best results, use natural language and be as specific as possible. When using the Student Guide AI helper or Applicant’s AI helper, specify the degree or the name of the programme your question relates to. The more information the helper has about the context of your question, the more accurate the answers will be.
If the AI cannot find a suitable answer to your question, either the information does not exist on the aalto.fi website, or the formulation of the question was unclear. You can try rephrasing your question and asking again.
You can also continue the conversation by asking follow-up questions. If the initial reply does not answer your question, you can try to ask the same question again, clarify it or ask something else related to your original question.
Languages supported by the helpers
The AI helpers can answer questions in Finnish, Swedish or English. If you ask a question in another language, the answer will usually be generated in English. The helpers always reply in the same language as your latest message.
To get the best response, it is recommended to use the features in the language you have selected as the site's language.
Privacy
Protecting your privacy and your personal data is of the utmost importance to us. Aalto is committed to complying with the requirements that data protection regulation places upon Aalto in the processing of your personal data. The AI helpers use Aalto AI APIs and have undergone the university's compliance process. The features are operated on Microsoft servers located in the EU/EEA area. All collected data is stored in accordance with the university’s policy.
- The features use data from aalto.fi as a source and therefore contain personal data available on aalto.fi, such as names mentioned in articles.
- Analytics data about the use of the features, such as information on impressions, is collected in accordance with the website's cookie policy.
- Log information is collected to ensure information security, investigate error situations and track costs.
- To preserve the conversation history when navigating between pages, the conversation history is stored indexed by the session identifier and, for logged-in users, also by the user ID. The conversation history is automatically deleted after two days. The data is used solely to enable the service.
More information about the processing of personal data:
Give feedback and tell us what went well or wrong
The development of the AI helpers is ongoing, and your feedback will help us develop both the technical solution and the quality of the website’s content. When you are using any of the three features, you can easily share feedback about what went well or wrong by using the feedback form linked below each helper.