AI Solutions Update

AI Solutions Update

Welcome

Dear Colleagues,

We’d like to congratulate everyone for another semester and welcome you to the first AI Solutions Update Newsletter with some tips and tricks to make the most of your UMD Virtual Agent and TerpAI! We will also provide updates on the latest AI solutions at the University of Maryland.

We look forward to seeing how our university community will innovate with Generative AI!

Sincerely,
AI Solutions
Developer Team

UMD Virtual Agent

Release Notes

06-04-2025 (v. 1.6.7)

New Features & Enhancements

View Latest Release (06-04-2025)

Tips and Tricks

Sample Questions

UMD Virtual Agent can be configured with a list of pre-populated questions to help users maximize their experience with the AI Agent. Agent administrators can add these sample questions in the Admin Console under virtual agent config.

UMD Virtual Agent Admin Console

The following link will bring you to the Admin Console page, where Virtual Study Assistant and Departmental Assistant administrators can manage their UMD Virtual Agents.

Introducing the UMD AI Virtual Agent Hub!

We're excited to unveil the UMD AI Virtual Agent Hub, your gateway to AI-powered campus knowledge! Now featured on the UMD AI website, this innovative platform connects you seamlessly with specialized virtual assistants across the university.

Each virtual agent draws from carefully curated knowledge bases, providing expert guidance on department-specific information. Whether you're faculty seeking administrative resources or a student navigating campus services, the Hub offers tailored support for your unique needs.

Visit the UMD AI website to get started with this powerful new resource.

Introducing the Virtual Study Assistant Canvas-ELMS Integration!

We’re thrilled to announce the new integration between the UMD Virtual Study Assistant and ELMS-Canvas— a major step forward in enhancing the teaching and learning experience across campus. This advancement reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation and streamlining faculty workflows, making onboarding simpler, course management more efficient, and allowing faculty to focus more on what matters most: our students. We’re currently piloting the integration with eight selected courses, per instructor request.
 

TerpAI

TerpAI is a powerful GenAI tool designed to simplify interactions with technology and enhance daily tasks. Whether assisting with projects, providing insights, or acting as a thought partner, TerpAI ensures efficiency and clarity in learning and research.

Release Notes

05-13-2025 (v. 2.2509.3733)

New Features & Enhancements

• Separate Login Logo and Navigation Logo
• File Type and Dimensions Guidelines
• Updated Minimized Navigation

Issue Fixes

• Favicon Updates
• Keyboard Navigation Improvements

TerpAI Release Notes

Tips and Tricks

Agent Selection Page

Explore the new TerpAI Agent Directory—your gateway to AI-powered assistants at the University of Maryland. Easily browse and search for official agents designed with secure access and academic support in mind. Whether you're looking for course-specific bots or general help, TerpAI makes it easy to connect and chat.

ChatGPT Enterprise

Release Notes

05-29-2025

New Features & Enhancements

• Web Composer UI Changes - We’re streamlining the composer. Instead of separate buttons for “Search”, “Deep research”, and more, you’ll now see a single Tools dropdown in the lower-left corner. All the same capabilities and tools are still there—just tidier and easier to access in one menu.
• Releasing GPT-4.1 in ChatGPT - Since its launch in the API in April, GPT-4.1 has become a favorite among developers—by popular demand, we’re making it available directly in ChatGPT. GPT-4.1 is a specialized model that excels at coding tasks. Compared to GPT-4o, it's even stronger at precise instruction following and web development tasks, and offers an alternative to OpenAI o3 and OpenAI o4-mini for simpler, everyday coding needs. Starting today, Enterprise and Edu users can access GPT-4.1 via the "more models" dropdown in the model picker. GPT-4.1 has the same rate limits as GPT-4o for paid users.

Tips and Tricks

Coding with Work with Apps on macOS

When working with IDEs, you can ask ChatGPT to edit open files directly—no copy-pasting required. It will generate a diff that you can review, apply, or even automatically implement. Reverting is easy in the UI or by using CMD+Z in your editor.

Learn More

For more information on AI solutions available at the University of Maryland, visit ai.umd.edu.

If you have any feedback or suggestions email us at dit-ais@umd.edu.