Imagine your students having access to a tutor that knows your course material, follows your teaching philosophy, uses your preferred terminology, and is available at 2 a.m. before the midterm. You can build one in about 20 minutes—no coding, no software installation, no IT department involvement.
Both ChatGPT (via Custom GPTs) and Google Gemini (via Gems) let you create custom AI assistants with specific instructions and knowledge. Here's how to build one for your course.
What Is a Custom AI Chatbot?
A custom chatbot is a standard AI model (like GPT-4 or Gemini) with a layer of specific instructions on top. You tell it what it knows, how it should behave, what it should and shouldn't do, and what persona it should adopt. The AI then follows those instructions in every conversation.
Think of it as the difference between hiring a general tutor and hiring one who's already read your syllabus, attended your lectures, and understands your grading expectations.
Step-by-Step: Building Your First Course Chatbot
Step 1: Define the Purpose
Don't try to build a do-everything bot. Pick one specific use case:
- Study buddy: Helps students review material and test their understanding
- Writing coach: Gives feedback on drafts using your rubric criteria
- Problem-solving guide: Walks students through practice problems step-by-step without giving away answers
- Concept explainer: Re-explains difficult concepts in multiple ways until students understand
Step 2: Write Your Instructions
This is the most important step. Your instructions tell the AI how to behave. Here's a template:
Identity: You are a study assistant for [Course Name] at [Institution]. Your role is to help students understand course material, not to do their work for them.
Behavior: When a student asks a question, guide them toward the answer using Socratic questioning. Ask what they already know, what they've tried, and where they're stuck. Never give complete answers to assignment questions. Instead, break problems into smaller steps and help students work through each one.
Knowledge: This course covers [list key topics]. The textbook is [title]. Key concepts include [list them]. When explaining concepts, use [specific terminology, frameworks, or approaches you use in class].
Boundaries: Do not write essays, complete homework problems, or generate content that could be submitted as student work. If a student asks you to do their assignment, redirect them to the relevant course material and offer to help them understand the concepts instead. If you're unsure about something, say so rather than guessing.
Step 3: Add Your Course Materials
In ChatGPT, you can upload files (syllabi, lecture notes, study guides) directly to your Custom GPT. In Gemini, you can paste key content into the instructions. This grounds the chatbot in your actual course material rather than generic knowledge.
Start with:
- Your syllabus
- A topic outline or list of learning objectives
- Key definitions or formulas
- Your rubric (if building a writing coach)
Step 4: Test It
Before sharing with students, test your chatbot by asking it:
- A basic comprehension question (does it answer accurately?)
- A homework question (does it refuse to give the answer and guide instead?)
- Something outside the course scope (does it stay on topic?)
- Something it should get wrong (does it admit uncertainty?)
Refine your instructions based on what you find. This testing phase usually takes 10-15 minutes and dramatically improves the chatbot's usefulness.
Step 5: Share with Students
In ChatGPT, you can share your Custom GPT via a link. Students need a ChatGPT account (the free tier works). In Gemini, students can access Gems through their Google accounts. Provide the link in your LMS with clear instructions about what the chatbot is for and how to use it effectively.
Use Cases That Work Well
The Socratic Study Buddy: A chemistry chatbot that asks students to predict what will happen before showing them the answer. "Before I explain Le Chatelier's Principle, what do you think happens to equilibrium when we increase pressure? Why?"
The Writing Coach: An English composition chatbot that reviews thesis statements against specific rubric criteria. "Your thesis makes a claim, but it doesn't preview your supporting arguments. How could you revise it to give the reader a roadmap for your essay?"
The Exam Prep Quizzer: A psychology chatbot that generates practice questions and explains why each answer option is right or wrong, referencing specific textbook chapters.
Important Limitations
Custom chatbots are powerful, but they're not perfect:
- They can still hallucinate. Even with your materials uploaded, AI can generate incorrect information. Warn students to verify important claims.
- They're not a replacement for you. A chatbot can explain a concept, but it can't read the room, notice a student's frustration, or adjust its approach based on emotional cues.
- Access varies. Not all students may have accounts or reliable internet. Always provide alternative resources.
- Privacy matters. Remind students not to share personal information, grades, or other sensitive data with AI tools.
Despite these limitations, a well-designed course chatbot extends your availability and gives students a judgment-free space to ask the questions they might be too embarrassed to raise in class.