Get Started with HokieAI

Start with one small, real task in HokieAI. You do not need to choose a model or learn every feature before you begin. Virginia Tech’s 4Help instructions say, “Navigate to: https://hokie.ai.vt.edu” and “Log in with your university credentials.”

Try this today

1. Go to HokieAI and sign in.
2. Start a chat.
3. Ask for help with a small task: “Rewrite this three-sentence email so it is clearer and warmer, but still brief: [paste your draft].”
4. Read the answer, then reply: “Make it shorter and less formal.”

That one follow-up is the important part. You are steering a conversation, not placing a one-time order.

Start with a useful request

Give HokieAI three kinds of information:

• Context: What are you doing, and who is the result for?
• Task: What action should it take?
• Shape: How long should the result be? What tone, format, or constraints should it follow?

Compare these requests:

Weaker: Write an announcement.

Stronger: I’m coordinating an AAD workshop for faculty and staff. Draft a 120-word announcement that explains what attendees will practice and invites them to register. Use a warm, direct tone and end with a placeholder for the registration link.

This structure does not guarantee a good answer. It simply gives the conversation a useful starting point.

Improve it through conversation

Treat the first response as a draft. Correct what is wrong, add context you left out, or ask for a different structure or tone. Try follow-ups such as “Put the action first,” “Use plain language,” or “Give me two alternatives.”

You remain responsible for the result. Before you use or send it, verify names, dates, numbers, quotations, policies, and other consequential claims against the real sources.

Use data deliberately

Virginia Tech’s AI tools and data-risk guidance says to “only use the lowest risk data that will still meet your needs.” Use the smallest amount of data needed, and remove or aggregate identifying details when possible. Honor research agreements and specialized requirements. If you are uncertain, ask AAD IT or the appropriate university data or security owner before adding the data.

Continue when you are ready

When a repeated task or a set of source files makes a personal agent worthwhile, continue to Doing More with HokieAI.

Questions? Open a ticket or email aadithelp@vt.edu.

Last updated: August 2026