New AI Chat Bot Is A Complete Waste of Time - Bring Back Humans

[smltechguy]

I've been around about 6 years now using the various support channels and it's fine. You coule get human help in the Chat, submit a ticket and even call in. This AI Chat Bot is just **bleep**. I use lots of AI tools, this one is the dumbest ones ever and the darn chat window is constantly open now when I get here so I'm also having to click the minimize button every time I log in. Because the thing is so stupid right now, we are training it for you with our interactions with it. That is a lame way to "service" your customers. Stop trying to replace people with experience with some dopey AI that you found somewhere.

You can just imagine the bean counters thinking they are saving money and they are just making it marginally worse for everyone using the system. Stop the madness, you don't have to rush removing people until you can actually use the tool to get stuff done.

[KritiS]

Hi @smltechguy 

Thank you for reaching out to the PowerSchool Community.

The new AI chat tool will make getting support faster, more efficient, and smarter than ever. You will receive instant answers to common questions for SchoolMessenger, PowerSchool SIS, Unified Talent, and Enrollment, with additional products added in 2025.

The AI chat tool will seamlessly transition to live chat support with a support engineer in the same chat window for all products currently offering chat support.

Please review our article on How to Launch Chat Support for a detailed guide on using the PowerSchool Assistant (AI chat tool).

We'll investigate your mention of the maximized chat window when you're able to navigate the community. We welcome feedback on the PowerSchool Community features, including the PowerSchool Assistant (AI chat tool). We will review the feedback and consider changes as we release future community updates.

[smltechguy]

When you upgraded the help system in PowerSchool SIS with version 20 I think, you ruined that help system. It used to be beautifully contextual and take you to the exact spot in the manual you needed to be. You used similar language to make believe you made that better back then. It was the burden of that contextualization effort that led to you moving it all here, thinking you could do full text search to replace all that hard work over the years. That was a fail and it's still no where near as good as it was back in 2019.

Now, you've tried to hop on the AI bandwagon, but you've made this place much worse. I get that it demos good for the bosses when you type the exact perfect "natural language" sentence, but every question I ask leads to a dead end. It's not ChatGPT smart. It's Microsoft Office CLIPPY from the 90s back from the ashes to annoy us all again.

It's just so frustrating.

[DanM3]

In Jason Springel's PowerSchool Insider (Episode 154 - December 31, 2024 at the 4:15 mark) he talks about the return of the contextual help in v 24.11.  I totally agree when they dropped for the generic help document, that was not helpful at all.  

[smltechguy]

I click to chat, hit a few buttons to play around and end the chat. Then every place I go from that moment on, expands my ended chat forever. Today I was just playing to show you this, but it has never helped me answer a question and always stays visible to remind me of that HA. This is why it's not ready for prime time.

[KritiS]

Hi @smltechguy 

We welcome feedback on the PowerSchool Community features, including the PowerSchool Assistant (AI chat tool). Your feedback will be reviewed and considered as we make updates in future community releases.

[smltechguy]

I can't believe a chat bot replied to defend chat bots ha - the singularity is approaching....

[JeffG9]

 

[CindyOp]

Hi @smltechguy 

Thank you for sharing your feedback regarding the PowerSchool Assistant.

I sincerely understand your frustration with the chat window not staying minimized and the chat text persisting after the session ends. I’m pleased to inform you that I have shared your feedback for minimizing the chat window, and we have prioritized enhancing it for Q1.  I will continue to follow up to ensure these items remain a focus.  

Updates to the PowerSchool Community and the PowerSchool Assistant will be shared through the Announcements: What's New forum. I encourage you to subscribe to this forum to stay informed about the latest enhancements.

I also want to acknowledge your concern about not constantly receiving answers to your questions. While the PowerSchool Assistant works to provide accurate responses by drawing from our Community resources, not all articles are currently visible to the AI chat tool. We’ve updated hundreds of SIS articles and continue to audit and upload more to enhance the tool’s ability to assist with SIS-related questions.

We truly value our customers’ feedback, which helps us improve our tools and services. I would love the opportunity to discuss your experience in more detail. I will contact you via a private message to schedule a time to connect. In the meantime, I recommend viewing the instructional video in the following article: How to Launch Chat Support.

Thank you again for your thoughtful feedback and for helping us improve!

[smltechguy]

I'm trying to use this thing and give it a shot. Today I'm asking a very simple question about the FTEID for the brand new school year I just created. I need to go find that number to Import new kids into the SIS from our student application. It can't do that, nor is is helpful in trying. The entire first set of my questions did not download with the transcript either so that is another issue to fix.

*Your chat transcript:*
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
DATE/TIME: 2025-01-29 08:32:04 America/Los_Angeles

[ChatBot]: [multicontent]

[Me]: PowerSchool SIS

[ChatBot]: [multicontent]

[Me]: Ask a Question

[ChatBot]: I’m here to help. Please ask your question in a full sentence.

[Me]: where can I find the fteid for the new school year in the sis?

[ChatBot]: [multicontent]

[Me]: 👎

[ChatBot]: [multicontent]

[Me]: There are no enrollment records yet to look at. This is a brand new year. Where do I find what the fteid will be for this new year?

[ChatBot]: [multicontent] 

[MinaPerez]

I have peaked as far as my frustration level with PowerSchool Community/ AI chat bot.  I have explained my issue a thousand times and clicked the button that said "talk to an engineer."  But friends, still no live chat only help that has been offered is by email.  Sadly, even when following the steps the rep outlined - still no answers to accessing live support.    

[DanM3]

@MinaPerez  I haven't submitted a case since last summer so I have no experience with the AI Chat "feature."  I assume you can still call the support line and when they answer give them the case number generated from the AI Chat.  

[MinaPerez]

I have been on the phone since 9:30am trying to reach a human regarding the "live chat support" and still have not gotten anyone who can assist.  PowerSchool is going to lose HSSD as a customer completely.  The recent "updates" pushed out are a MAJOR setback for PowerSchool as far as communication.  It is very difficult to understand PowerSchool reps as well and makes it 10x more frustrating when they are reading from a script and not listening to my questions or providing me with contact information.  Promising returned calls but so far nothing!  

Our applicants our having trouble applying for jobs on School Spring as well.  Still searching for answers.