A new and friendly feathered member of the community is here!
The University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) launched its own first chatbot artificial intelligence (AI) information assistant dubbed as ‘SePhi’ on May 2, 2023, at the College of Information and Computing Audio-visual Room (CIC-AVR), USeP Obrero campus, Davao City.
Designed to provide a comprehensive, accurate, and client-responsive system that delivers immediate replies to queries in ‘real time’, SePhi will be embedded and functional on the social media accounts of the University (Facebook and Instagram), and soon on the official website of the USeP at usep.edu.ph.
PAD Director, Dr. Rosfe Corlae D. Badoy, opened the program by giving a glimpse of how the University has come up with the development of SePhi and how SePhi can improve the responsiveness of the University to the client’s need for information.
“In this information age, USeP is fast transitioning into becoming a digitally transformed organization. As we and our stakeholders become more dependent on technology, we are also getting used to accessing information through our fingertips. As such, our stakeholders demand a very short turnaround time for inquiries and similar transactions. Today, we will witness another milestone in the life of the University as we launch SePhi,” she said.
SePhi is a USeP-designed intelligent chatbot that engages with users and provides relevant information on various queries. SePhi uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to understand client queries and provide direct and accurate responses. SePhi is designed to be integrated with websites, social media platforms, and messaging applications made available by the University in order to provide a seamless user engagement and satisfying client experience.
The chatbot features natural language processing (NLP) to understand and interpret clients’ queries that allow clients to converse with the chatbot in a natural and intuitive manner; multi-platform integration which allows SePhi to be accessed from the clients’ preferred platforms; customizable responses that ensure consistent user experience across all touchpoints; and analytics and reporting that allows SePhi to provide detailed analytics and responding on user interactions and gender aggregations, allowing USeP to gain insights into user behavior and preferences.
SePhi, a University Milestone
University President, Dr. Generalao, expressed her joy and excitement on the launching of the said chatbot AI.
“Chatbots are becoming increasingly important in today’s world as they can provide efficient and effective customer service, improve response time, reduce operating costs, and automate repetitive tasks. With the implementation of SePhi, the University will be able to provide quicker and more accurate responses to inquiries for students, faculty, staff, and other clients. This innovative technology marks a significant milestone in our effort to modernize our communication and customer services practices,” she said.
She then lauds that the implementation of SePhi is a step in the right direction especially as the University is applying for the Philippine Quality Award (PQA) which emphasizes the importance of upkeeping positive and responsive customer service to the clients. “With SePhi, our clients will enjoy a more efficient, streamlined, and effective experience even from the comfort of their own homes, they can expect prompt and reliable service from the University,” she added.
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Bonifacio G. Gabales, Jr., also joined the delight of the University. Dr. Gabales also encouraged the University community members to use and engage with the University through this system. “We need your feedback how capable and gaano talaga ka kaya ni SePhi ang mga inquiries online. We can do that only if we encourage everyone to use it and give us your feedback so that we will know how to improve it and expand it to the other services of the University.”
“This is not to replace our human resources but to complement what we have started and what we have established in our University as part of our services,” he added emphasizing that human resources are irreplaceable despite the trends of automation.
While still in its early phase, the university appealed to the public to use the Chatbot to connect to the university. As SePhi is a ‘work in progress’ there are still some adjustments needed while using it as it is still being polished to help with USeP’s virtual interaction. SePhi is intended to be used by university students, employees, alumni, and other prospective clients.
The launching was attended by the University’s top management officials led by Dr. Generalao, faculty and staff, student body representatives, and alumni representatives.
