Computer science student develops a manufacturing chatbot with Microsoft support

two men looking at factory testbed
Shamar Webster (left), a UWM master's student in computer science, shows a visitor around the CSI's manufacturing testbed. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)

Shamar Webster, a recent master’s degree graduate in computer science, co-created a factory-specific chatbox that allows workers at manufacturing plants to use natural language to interact with the production line and receive immediate answers to questions.

Webster worked with Microsoft’s chief AI officer at UWM’s Connected Systems Institute after getting the idea when ChatGPT was made public a year ago. The tool could help smaller companies more easily transition into next-generation manufacturing.

The chatbox was completed just as Microsoft, led by UWM alum and Satya Nadella (‘90 computer science), announced its second gift to support CSI – bringing the company’s total support to $2.7 million.

Read more about the manufacturing chatbox.

Read more about Microsoft’s recent gift to UWM’s CSI.