Advanced Features
Advanced features and configurations for Nectir AI Assistants.
Configuring AI Models
Nectir AI allows you to select different AI models for your Assistants, each with unique capabilities and performance characteristics.
Selecting an AI Model
- Navigate to your Assistant’s settings
- Click on Advanced in the settings sidebar
- Choose from the available models based on your Group needs:
- GPT-4.1: OpenAI’s latest model with enhanced reasoning capabilities and improved instruction following. Excels in generating accurate, context-rich responses for healthcare, STEM, and social sciences.
- Claude 4: Anthropic’s advanced model with exceptional reasoning and instruction following. Shines in humanities, literature, and creative writing with its creativity and conversational flow.
Which model should I choose?
If you’re unsure which model to select:
- GPT-4.1 is an excellent default choice for most educational use cases with strong overall performance
- Claude 4 excels in humanities, writing assistance, and generating more nuanced, detailed explanations
- For technical or STEM subjects, either model performs well
Comparing Model Capabilities
| Feature | GPT-4.1 | Claude 4 |
|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | Strong complex problem-solving | Outstanding analytical and critical thinking |
| Content generation | Versatile across many domains | Excels at nuanced and detailed explanations |
| Multimodal support | Advanced image analysis capabilities | Advanced image analysis capabilities |
| Response Style | Direct, concise, and precise | Conversational, elaborative, and nuanced |
| Best For | Healthcare, STEM, Social Sciences | Humanities, Literature, Creative Writing |
| Strengths | Accuracy, precision, problem-solving | Creativity, reasoning, ethical considerations |
Understanding AI Model Temperature
Temperature is a crucial setting that controls how creative or focused your AI Assistant’s responses are. Think of it as a dial that adjusts the balance between consistency and creativity in your Assistant’s answers.
How Temperature Works
Temperature controls how creative or focused your AI Assistant’s responses are. Rather than dealing with specific numbers, think of temperature as three distinct modes:
- Predictable: Consistent, reliable responses ideal for factual learning
- Balanced: Mix of consistency and creativity for general education
- Creative: Varied, exploratory responses perfect for open-ended learning
Choosing the Right Temperature for Learning
Predictable Mode: for Factual and Analytical Learning
Predictable Mode: for Factual and Analytical Learning
Best for:
- STEM subjects requiring precise calculations
- Medical and healthcare education
- Legal studies and case analysis
- Technical documentation and procedures
- Factual recall and memorization
Why it works:
- Provides consistent, reliable answers
- Reduces potential for incorrect information
- Ensures students get the same accurate response each time
- Ideal for subjects where precision matters most
Example use cases:
- “Calculate the derivative of this function”
- “Explain the steps in mitosis”
- “What are the symptoms of diabetes?”
- “List the elements in the periodic table”
Balanced Mode: for General Educational Experiences
Balanced Mode: for General Educational Experiences
Best for:
- General education across multiple subjects
- Social sciences and history
- Business and economics
- Science with conceptual explanations
- Mixed content courses
Why it works:
- Balances accuracy with engaging explanations
- Provides varied examples and analogies
- Maintains consistency while allowing for creative teaching approaches
- Good default for most educational applications
Example use cases:
- “Explain the causes of World War I”
- “How does supply and demand work?”
- “What is photosynthesis and why is it important?”
- “Compare different economic systems”
Creative Mode: for Exploratory and Creative Learning
Creative Mode: for Exploratory and Creative Learning
Best for:
- Creative writing and literature
- Art and design courses
- Philosophy and ethics
- Brainstorming and ideation sessions
- Open-ended research projects
Why it works:
- Encourages diverse perspectives and interpretations
- Generates varied examples and creative approaches
- Stimulates critical thinking through different viewpoints
- Helps students explore multiple possibilities
Example use cases:
- “Help me brainstorm themes for my short story”
- “What are different interpretations of this poem?”
- “Generate creative solutions to this design challenge”
- “Explore various philosophical perspectives on ethics”
Temperature Recommendations by Subject
| Subject Area | Recommended Mode | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Predictable | Requires precision and consistency in calculations |
| Sciences (STEM) | Predictable to Balanced | Balance of accuracy for facts with some explanatory flexibility |
| Medicine/Healthcare | Predictable | Critical information requires high accuracy |
| History | Balanced | Benefits from varied perspectives while maintaining factual accuracy |
| Literature | Balanced to Creative | Encourages diverse interpretations and creative analysis |
| Philosophy | Balanced to Creative | Supports exploration of different viewpoints and arguments |
| Creative Writing | Creative | Maximizes creative potential and diverse approaches |
| Business | Balanced | Balances analytical precision with strategic creativity |
| Language Learning | Balanced | Provides varied examples while maintaining grammatical accuracy |
Setting Temperature for Your Assistant
- Navigate to your Assistant’s Advanced settings
- Locate the Temperature setting
- Choose the mode that best fits your course requirements:
- Predictable for subjects requiring accuracy and consistency
- Balanced for general education with moderate variety
- Creative for subjects encouraging exploration and creativity
- Test with sample questions to assess the response style
- Adjust as needed based on student feedback and learning outcomes
Start with Balanced mode if you’re unsure. This provides a good mix of consistency and creativity for most educational scenarios. You can always adjust based on how your students interact with the Assistant and the type of responses you want to encourage.
Model Literacy and Future-Proofing
Introducing different AI models helps build AI literacy skills. By engaging with large language models such as GPT-4.1 and Claude 4, students learn how diverse models yield different results, preparing them for an AI-driven workforce. You may want to encourage students to:
- Compare model outputs for the same question
- Analyze different response styles and approaches
- Understand which model performs better for specific types of tasks
Next Steps
Assistant Knowledge
Define what information your Assistant can access
Assistant Prompt
Set the directions that shape your Assistant’s behavior
Best Practices
Learn best practices for creating effective prompts
Conversation Starters
Create predefined prompts to help users begin interacting
Video Tutorial
See Advanced Features in Action
Watch how to configure AI model selection and finalize your Assistant