Bain & Company helps Italian online university launch AI chatbot tool

Multiversity, a large Italian education company that runs several learning facilities, has launched an AI tool, developed using OpenAI generative AI (GenAI) technology, and created with the help of consulting giant Bain & Company.

The new tool, a GenAI university assistant chatbot tool, is designed to help enhance the learning experience for students at Multiversity’s digital universities, offering real-time study support, insights, and more. The shiny new chatbot tool was shown to be over 99% accurate, with responses verified by professors. It will become fully operational by September of this year.

“The launch of this AI assistant tool represents a real step change for both students’ and professors’ online experiences,” said Christophe De Vusser, a leader at Bain & Company in Europe.

“This collaboration with Multiversity is powered by our alliance with OpenAI, which combines our business strategy expertise with their technology, and it reflects our deep expertise in developing cutting edge artificial intelligence solutions.”

Multiversity is Italy’s largest university and education group, and the second largest in all of Europe. The facilities under its purvey include Pegaso University in Naple, Universitas Mercatorum in Rome, San Raffaele University Rome, and a special coding training center, among others.

AI technologies – and GenAI in particular – have been taking off in recent years, with the first year of ChatGPT seeing the largest number of new users of any online service. The AI sector has been seeing astronomical growth – so much so, in fact, that some worry it might be a bubble.

OpenAI is the developer of ChatGPT, and has made its technology available to external parties to use in developing their own AI tools, as is the case with Multiversity’s new AI bot.

This is not the first time that Bain & Company has worked on developing an AI chatbot using OpenAI technologies. Last year, Carrefour rolled out its own AI chatbot with the help of the management consulting giant, which helped the supermarket company beef up its customer service.

Early last year, Bain & Company entered into a strategic partnership with OpenAI, which forms the backbone for the firm using OpenAI technology in developing innovative tools for its clients.

Several other major consulting firms have also invested huge sums into AI in the past year. “AI is evolving fast, and companies need to identify real-world applications that generate sustainable value in their respective industries to secure a competitive advantage,” said De Vusser.