unai/AI_CHAT_SETUP.md

AI Chat Setup Guide

The University Portal includes an AI-powered chat assistant that can help users with information about the university, programs, admissions, and more. The AI chat is powered by Ollama, a local AI model runner.

Features

• 🤖 AI-Powered Assistant: Get instant answers about university information
• 💬 Real-time Chat: Interactive conversation interface
• 🏠 Local Processing: Runs locally on your machine for privacy
• 📱 Responsive Design: Works on desktop and mobile devices
• 🎯 Context-Aware: Specialized for university-related questions

Quick Setup

1. Install Ollama

Run the automated setup script:

npm run setup:ollama

This script will:

• Install Ollama on your system
• Start the Ollama service
• Download the Llama2 model

2. Manual Installation (Alternative)

If the automated script doesn't work, install Ollama manually:

macOS/Linux

curl -fsSL https://ollama.ai/install.sh | sh

Windows

Download from: https://ollama.ai/download

3. Start Ollama

ollama serve

4. Download a Model

ollama pull llama2

5. Start the Development Server

npm run dev

Using the AI Chat

1. Access the Chat: Click the AI chat button in the bottom-right corner of any page
2. Ask Questions: Type your questions about:
   • University programs and courses
   • Admission requirements
   • Campus life and facilities
   • Research opportunities
   • Student services
3. Get Instant Answers: The AI will provide helpful, contextual responses

Available Models

The default model is llama2, but you can use any model supported by Ollama:

# List available models
ollama list

# Pull a different model
ollama pull codellama
ollama pull mistral
ollama pull llama2:13b

Configuration

Environment Variables

You can configure the Ollama connection in your .env.local file:

OLLAMA_HOST=http://localhost:11434

Model Selection

To use a different model, modify the API call in src/app/api/chat/ollama/route.ts:

body: JSON.stringify({
  message: userMessage.text,
  model: 'codellama' // Change this to your preferred model
}),

Troubleshooting

Ollama Not Running

If you see "Ollama is not running" in the chat:

1. Check if Ollama is installed:

   ollama --version
   

2. Start the Ollama service:

   ollama serve
   

3. Verify it's running:

   curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags
   

Model Not Found

If you get a model error:

1. List available models:

   ollama list
   

2. Pull the required model:

   ollama pull llama2
   

Performance Issues

• Slow Responses: Try a smaller model like llama2:7b
• High Memory Usage: Close other applications or use a smaller model
• Network Issues: Ensure Ollama is running locally

Commands Reference

# Start Ollama service
ollama serve

# Stop Ollama service
pkill ollama

# List models
ollama list

# Pull a model
ollama pull <model-name>

# Run a model interactively
ollama run llama2

# Remove a model
ollama rm <model-name>

Security & Privacy

• Local Processing: All AI processing happens locally on your machine
• No Data Collection: No user data is sent to external servers
• Model Control: You control which models are installed and used

Support

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the browser console for errors
2. Verify Ollama is running: curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags
3. Check the model is installed: ollama list
4. Restart Ollama: pkill ollama && ollama serve

Advanced Usage

Custom System Prompts

You can customize the AI's behavior by modifying the system prompt in src/app/api/chat/ollama/route.ts:

const systemPrompt = `You are a helpful AI assistant for a university portal...`;

Multiple Models

You can implement model selection by adding a dropdown in the chat interface and passing the selected model to the API.

Streaming Responses

For real-time responses, you can implement streaming by modifying the API to use Ollama's streaming capabilities.