cogniti.ai: Empowering Educators with Custom, Context-Aware AI Agents

cogniti.ai is a pioneering AI tool designed by and for educators to seamlessly integrate generative AI into teaching and learning environments. Built by a team from the University of Sydney, it enables teachers to create steerable, context-sensitive AI chatbot agents using simple natural language instructions, grounding them with course materials, web pages, and files to ensure accurate, reliable responses. The platform supports deep integration with major Learning Management Systems like Canvas and Moodle, allowing students to interact with AI agents directly within their course workflows. With features like speech synthesis and recognition, real-time tracking of student interactions, and customizable system prompts, cogniti.ai enhances pedagogical control, reduces AI hallucinations, and promotes equitable access—without requiring students to create external accounts or pay for AI access. The tool emphasizes transparency, privacy, and ethical use, with clear indicators when users are interacting with AI and robust safeguards in place. Recognized by UNESCO and honored with multiple prestigious awards, including the AFR AI Awards Research and Education Winner 2025 and the EDUCAUSE Horizon Report feature, cogniti.ai stands at the forefront of responsible, human-centered AI in education.

Key Features:

• Natural Language Agent Creation: Teachers can build custom AI agents using plain language instructions.
• Contextual Knowledge Integration: Agents are trained with course materials, web pages, and files to deliver accurate, relevant responses.
• LMS Integration: Seamless embedding into platforms like Canvas and Moodle for frictionless student access.
• Speech Synthesis & Recognition: Enables voice-enabled interactions within AI agents for inclusive learning.
• Student Interaction Insights: Provides educators with data on how students engage with AI agents to inform teaching strategies.
• System Message Control: Teachers can define and refine system prompts to guide AI behavior and align with educational goals.
• Hallucination Reduction: Built-in mechanisms to minimize inaccurate or fabricated responses.
• Equitable Access: Ensures all students can use advanced AI models without personal cost or external sign-ups.
• Privacy-First Design: No personal data used to train AI models; data hosted securely with strict retention policies.
• Content Filtering & Abuse Monitoring: Leverages safeguards from trusted LLM providers like Azure to maintain safe interactions.
• User Reporting & Transparency: Clear labeling of AI interactions and a mechanism for reporting concerning outputs.
• Sandbox Environments: Safe, controlled spaces for students to experiment with AI agents.
• Institutional Access via Existing Logins: Uses federated authentication (Google, Microsoft, Australian Access Federation) for secure, centralized access.

Pricing: Currently in pilot phase, cogniti.ai is offered free of charge for educational use, with access to custom agents granted upon request. The platform is designed as a non-commercial, academic tool, and no public pricing tiers are available at this time.

Conclusion: With its educator-first design, strong ethical foundation, and proven recognition from global education leaders and institutions, cogniti.ai is a transformative and trustworthy tool for integrating AI into classrooms—offering powerful, responsible, and accessible innovation for the future of teaching and learning.