University of Hawaii at Hilo students are being encouraged to direct their questions and concerns to a smiling red flower named Lehua.
Lehua is one of 10 AI chatbots that have been launched in the past year across all of the UH campuses with the goal of answering questions, connecting students to resources, and regularly checking in via text message.
Enrolled students with a phone number connected to their UH account are automatically sent a welcome text from their campus chatbot during their first semester and given the option to opt in or out of receiving future messages. A recent UH report found that 94% of students systemwide have opted in to connecting with the bots, with 51% of students actively interacting with them.
At UH Hilo specifically, 93% of students have opted in to receive messages from Lehua, while 55% have engaged with the chatbot, sending over 6,000 messages since its launch in June 2025, according to a report from EdSights, the company contracted to design the bots.
Acting Senior Director of Student Care and Conduct Sherri U‘ilani Akau said that she views Lehua as another member of her team who helps to more proactively and effectively engage with students.
“We’re finding that students actually share a lot more with Lehua than they do with a human,” she said. “It allows them that space to feel safe and engage in those conversations.”
Lehua is capable of answering questions about a wide variety of topics, ranging from academics to financial aid. The bot also connects students to campus resources and identifies individuals who may be in need of additional support for staff to reach out to directly.
As of December 2025, data showed that Lehua answered 382 UH Hilo student questions, connected students to resources 869 times, and flagged 292 students in need of staff follow-up.
Across the entire UH system, the chatbots answered 4,294 student questions without human assistance, which is estimated to have saved staff approximately 375 hours.
In addition to streamlining communication and outreach, Akua views chatbots like Lehua as a powerful tool for student engagement and retention.
“It allows us to meet students where they’re at, because not all students are willing to ask for help,” she said. “So, it helps with engaging with our students, meeting them where they’re at and that, in turn, helps with retention and in providing support all the way through their college experience with us.”
However, not all students on campus are aware of Lehua’s existence. First year aeronautical science students Kawena Alatini and Gemma Glicini said they had never heard of the Lehua chatbot and did not recall receiving the welcome message.
“No, I never got one,” Alatini said, but acknowledged it could have gotten lost amid other messages.
But, both students liked the concept.
“Yeah, that would be awesome,” Glicini said.
While AI use at universities has been a topic of debate and contention in recent years, Glicini said she felt that in this form it is beneficial to students.
“I think AI is acceptable as something to help,” she said. “I think it’s bad when it’s used to cheat or to fill in for something. I think that’s not acceptable, but in a capacity that’s meant to help students, especially for something like minor tasks, I think that’s great.”
Email Grace Inez Adams at grace.adams@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
