AI Assist Overview

What’s in This Section

AI Assist provides 8 intelligent features that help you understand content, simplify complex text, and learn more effectively. Choose from four AI modes — Off, Local AI (Ollama), Browser AI (WebLLM), or Cloud (Claude, GPT, Gemini, Perplexity) — in the AI Assist support in the popup. AI is off until you choose a mode.

Features: Text Simplification, Summarisation, Citation Analyzer, Assignment Breakdown, Knowledge Graph, Socratic Tutor, Study Path Generator, Multi-Document Compare

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What Shapes the Answers

Two settings change what comes back from every AI feature, not just one:

• Personalised AI feeds your learning profile into each AI feature, so the wording and the level match how you said you read and work. Before 1.0.0 only a couple of features did this
• Summary reading level sets how simply summaries and simplifications are written: Standard, Plain language or Very plain. Very plain summaries are short and in everyday words; very plain simplified text keeps the proper term and explains it in brackets, so you learn the word. If an answer is still too dense, choose a plainer level and ask again

Both are companion features, on by default, each with its own switch in the popup.

Mind Map has its own AI panel that builds a map from a page or from pasted text, suggests sub-points, explains a node and turns a branch into recall questions. It uses whichever AI mode you have set here, and the rest of Mind Map works with AI off. See the Mind Map guide.

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Getting Started with AI

Choosing a Mode

1. Click the AssisT icon to open the popup
2. Open the AI Assist support in the Study group. It says which mode you are in
3. Choose Off, Cloud, Browser or Local. The first time, this opens the AI setup page
4. Each mode shows its own controls

Privacy-First Options

Mode	How It Works	Privacy	Setup
Off	No AI processing - every other support still works	N/A	None
Local AI (Ollama)	AI runs on your computer	Your text stays on your computer	Install Ollama
Browser AI (WebLLM)	AI runs in your browser tab via WebGPU	Your text stays on your computer. The model downloads once	None — just download a model
Cloud (Optional)	Uses Claude, GPT, Gemini, or Perplexity APIs	The text you ask about goes to the provider you chose	Paste your own API key

AI setup recommends Local AI on a computer with a separate graphics card or an Apple chip, with Browser AI as the next choice. A browser cannot see how much graphics memory a computer has, and it reports 8 GB of RAM as 8 GB or more, so treat the recommendation as a starting point.

Setting Up Browser AI with WebLLM (Easiest Private AI)

Zero-install AI that runs entirely in your browser:

1. Choose Browser in the AI Assist support
2. Browse available models in the model picker
3. Click Download on a model (the default is Llama 3.2 1B, about 650 MB)
4. Wait for download to complete — progress bar shows status
5. Click Load — the model initialises in your browser

Benefits: No software to install, completely private, free, works offline after download. The download itself comes from Hugging Face and carries no text of yours.

Setting Up Local AI with Ollama (Most Capable Private AI)

AI runs entirely on your computer — strongest models, most control.

1. Install Ollama on your computer
2. Download a model: ollama pull qwen3.5:9b (about 6.6 GB, for a graphics card with 8 GB or more), or ollama pull qwen3:4b-instruct-2507-q4_K_M (about 2.5 GB) on a modest computer
3. Choose Local in the AI Assist support, and choose Allow when Chrome asks to reach Ollama on your own computer
4. AssisT auto-detects Ollama and shows your models in a dropdown
5. Select your preferred model

Benefits: Complete privacy, works offline, no ongoing costs, largest model selection.

For detailed setup instructions (including step-by-step terminal guidance for beginners), see the Ollama Setup Guide.

Setting Up Cloud AI (Most Powerful)

The most capable AI — just paste an API key.

1. Get an API key from your chosen provider (Google AI Studio, Anthropic, OpenAI, or Perplexity)
2. Choose Cloud in the AI Assist support
3. Select your provider from the dropdown
4. Enter your API key. Saving it is how you say yes to that provider, and Chrome asks for permission to reach it at the same moment
5. Choose a model. The key is encrypted on your device and never sent to Fiavaion

Trade-offs: Requires internet, and the text you ask about goes to the provider (not to Fiavaion). Google Gemini offers a free API key (no credit card required), and Gemini 3.8 Flash is the default model (Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite is the faster option). Google sets the free daily limits. Other providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Perplexity) are paid.

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AI Features

Text Simplification

What it does: Rewrites complex text in simpler language.

How to use:

1. Select text you want simplified
2. In the highlight menu, click Simplify
3. Simplified version appears

Best for: Academic papers, legal documents, technical content

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Summarisation

What it does: Creates concise summaries of long content.

How to use:

1. Select the text you want summarised
2. Click Summary in the highlight menu
3. The summary appears in a panel, where you choose its length (Brief, Moderate or Detailed)

Best for: Long articles, research papers, study materials

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Citation Analyzer

What it does: Takes a quick look at the clues in a source and gives a plain rating: Looks reliable, Check before you use it or Hard to tell, with the reasons behind it. It is a first look, not a verdict, so read the source yourself before you rely on it.

How to use:

1. Select the text you want to check, then click Analyze Citation in the highlight menu
2. Read the rating and the reasons for it
3. With online citation checking switched on, it can also look the reference up in Crossref or Semantic Scholar (each asks you first)

Best for: Research assignments, fact-checking, source evaluation

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Assignment Breakdown

What it does: Decomposes complex assignments into manageable tasks.

How to use:

1. Select assignment text
2. Click Tasks (Break Down Assignment) in the highlight menu
3. See step-by-step task list with suggested order

Best for: Large projects, multi-part assignments, getting started when stuck

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Knowledge Graph

What it does: Visualises concepts and relationships from text.

How to use:

1. Select educational content
2. Click Graph (Knowledge Graph) in the highlight menu
3. Interactive visualisation shows concept connections

Best for: Understanding complex topics, visual learners, study review

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Socratic Tutor

What it does: Helps you learn through guided questions rather than direct answers.

How to use:

1. Select the text you want to study, then choose Tutor in the highlight menu
2. AI asks guiding questions
3. Arrive at understanding through dialogue

Best for: Deep learning, critical thinking, active engagement

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Study Path Generator

What it does: Creates personalised learning sequences for topics.

How to use:

1. Select the text you want to study, then choose Study (Generate Study Path) in the highlight menu
2. AI generates step-by-step learning path
3. Follow suggested order of concepts
4. Use Copy to copy the full path to clipboard, or Read All to hear it read aloud using your saved voice settings

Best for: Self-directed learning, test preparation, new subjects

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Multi-Document Compare

What it does: Analyses and contrasts multiple text sources side-by-side, identifying agreements, contradictions, and unique insights.

How to use:

1. Select text from a first source
2. Add it to the comparison panel
3. Select text from a second source and add it
4. Click Compare for AI analysis
5. Use Read All to hear the comparison read aloud with TTS

Best for: Research papers, comparing arguments, cross-referencing sources, literature review

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AI Status Bars

Every AI feature displays a persistent status bar that shows:

• Current AI mode and availability status
• Orange warning when AI is unavailable (with clickable setup links)
• Green confirmation after successful AI processing
• The specific mode used (e.g., “Processed with Local AI — qwen3.5:9b”)

This means you always know at a glance whether AI is ready and which backend is handling your requests.

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AI Settings

In the Popup:

Control	Description
AI Assist	Says which mode you are in, and opens the place to choose Off, Cloud, Browser or Local
Cloud panel	Provider selector, API key input, model dropdown
Browser AI panel	Model picker with download/load buttons, progress bars
Local AI panel	Ollama status, live model dropdown

In Advanced Options Modal:

Setting	Description
Provider	Off, Cloud (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, Perplexity), Browser AI (WebLLM), or Local (Ollama)
Model	Which of that provider’s current models to use. The dropdown is filled from the provider, so it stays right as models change
API Key	For cloud providers only

Summary length (Brief, Moderate or Detailed) is chosen in the summary panel itself.

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For Educators & Parents

Educational Benefits

For students with learning disabilities:

• Simplification makes content accessible
• Summaries reduce reading burden
• Assignment breakdown prevents overwhelm

For students with ADHD:

• Summaries help with long-form focus
• Assignment breakdown creates structure
• Socratic Tutor maintains engagement

For all learners:

• Knowledge graphs support visual learning
• Study paths provide direction
• Citation analyser builds research skills

Classroom Considerations

Academic integrity:

• AI features assist understanding, not complete work
• Socratic Tutor guides learning without giving answers
• Simplification helps access, not bypass, content

Privacy guidance:

• Local AI (Ollama) and Browser AI (WebLLM) keep all data on device
• Cloud AI needs the student’s own API key, and saving it is the yes. It can be withdrawn under Advanced options, Your data
• No student data is collected by AssisT
• Status bars always show which AI mode is active — full transparency

When to Use AI Features

Situation	Recommended Features
Understanding difficult text	Simplification, Summarisation
Starting large assignments	Assignment Breakdown
Research projects	Citation Analyzer, Multi-Doc Compare
Studying for tests	Knowledge Graph, Study Path
Deep learning	Socratic Tutor
Comparing sources	Multi-Document Compare

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Full AI Documentation

For complete details on AI features, privacy, setup, and troubleshooting:

AI Features & Privacy — Comprehensive AI guide

This includes:

• Detailed setup instructions for all providers
• Privacy information, and what GDPR and FERPA mean in practice
• System requirements for local AI
• Troubleshooting guide
• Performance optimisation