AVA Playground - Transparency Note

The lawful, ethical, and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) is a key priority for Blackboard; therefore, we have developed and implemented a Trustworthy AI program. You can find information on our program and general approach to Trustworthy AI in our Trust Center.

As part of our Trustworthy AI principles, we commit to transparency, explainability, and accountability. This page is intended to provide the necessary transparency and explainability to help our customers with their implementation of AVA Playground. We recommend that administrators carefully review this page and ensure that all potential users of AVA Playground are aware of the considerations and recommendations below before they activate the AVA Playground functionalities for their institution.

How to contact us:

• For questions or feedback on our general approach to Trustworthy AI or how we can make this page more helpful for our customers, please email us at trustworthy-ai@blackboard.com.
• For questions or feedback about the functionality or output of AVA Playground, please submit a customer support ticket.

Last updated: May 4th, 2026

Description of AI-facilitated functionalities

AVA Playground is a Blackboard LMS premium feature designed to provide Blackboard users with direct access to a range of third-party AI (LLM) models within the Blackboard LMS environment. It is intended to help institutions offer a consistent AI tool that is available to all of their users. When launched within Blackboard LMS, users can interact with different third-party AI (LLM) models (provided through the AWS Bedrock service), compare outputs across model providers, and build AI literacy skills through a single institutional tool.

AVA Playground is designed to support equitable access by enabling all Blackboard LMS users at an institution to engage with AI models regardless of their ability to pay for third-party AI services. The user interface is simple and designed for educational use cases. It includes suggested topics based on enrolled courses to help users interact with the tool. Users engage with the AVA Playground through a text-based, two-way conversational chatbot interface (similar to ChatGPT, Claude). Users can choose the relevant model from a list of available models. They may start new conversations and access conversation history to continue prior interactions but are limited to a specific number of messages within 24 hours. The chatbot output is currently restricted to text.

Enabling AVA Playground is optional, and users can choose whether to engage with the tool. At launch, the AVA Playground uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) Bedrock to provide access to AI models.

These functionalities are subject to the limitations and availability of the AWS Bedrock service and the underlying third-party models and subject to change. Please check the relevant release notes for details.

Key Facts

Considerations and recommendations for institutions

Intended use cases

AVA Playground is designed to provide Blackboard users with direct access to a range of third-party AI (LLM) models within the Blackboard LMS environment. It is intended to help institutions offer a consistent AI tool that is available to all users. The feature is intended strictly for academic, course-related purpose and should be used only to support educational research and work in the context of the relevant courses.

AVA Playground should be used in accordance with our AI Guidelines.

Out of scope use cases

This feature is not designed to act as a general chatbot or companion bot.

• Educational use cases only. AVA Playground is not intended to act as a conversational chatbot beyond educational use cases as described above. In particular, AVA Playground is not intended for the following use cases: Discussing or providing assistance with the user’s (or another person’s) mental or physical problems, discussing or providing assistance with the user’s (or another person’s) financial circumstances or decisions, discussing or providing assistance with the user’s (or another person’s) educational and career decisions, discussing or providing assistance with the user’s (or another person’s) decision that produces legal effects or similarly significantly affects the person.
• Not intended for minors. AVA Playground is not intended to be used by minors (which is under the age of 18 in most jurisdictions). Customers are responsible for implementing and maintaining appropriate controls to prevent minors from accessing or using AVA Playground.
• Only in compliance with model provider terms. AVA Playground must not be used out of compliance with the model provider terms such the AWS Acceptable Use Policy and the AWS Responsible AI Policy.
• Only in compliance with our terms. AVA Playground must not be used out of compliance with the AVA Playground End User Agreement and the customer Generative AI Terms.

We encourage customers to share this information with their instructors and students, as appropriate, to help them decide whether to enable the feature and exercise appropriate oversight over AVA Playground.

Trustworthy AI principles in practice

Blackboard believes the lawful, ethical and responsible use of AI is a key priority. AWS is equally committed to the responsible use of AI.

This section explains how Blackboard (and AWS) have worked to address the applicable risk to the legal, ethical and responsible use of AI and implement the Blackboard Trustworthy AI principles. It also suggests steps our customers can consider when undertaking their own AI and legal reviews of ethical AI risks of their implementation.

Transparency and Explainability

• We make it clear in the Blackboard administrator console that this is an AI-facilitated functionality.
• It is clear from the user interface of AVA Playground that this feature is an AI chatbot. For instance, this is clearly stated in the banner at the top of the chatbot user interface.
• This transparency note includes links to detailed model cards that provide additional information on how the AWS Bedrock service and the available AWS Bedrock models work.
• Before using AVA Playground, users need to accept the AVA Playground End User Agreement and AI Guidelines that include additional information on the limitations of the feature and the underlying models.
• We encourage customers to be transparent about the use of AI within AVA Playground and provide their students, instructors and other stakeholders with the relevant information from this document and the documentation linked herein.

Reliability and accuracy

• Large language models inherently present risks to reliability and accuracy as the output of such models is probabilistic. As such, output may be inaccurate or inappropriate. The relevant model cards (see “How does the system work” section above) explain the measures deployed by the model providers to reduce reliability and accuracy risks.
• Since Blackboard provides the AWS Bedrock ‘out-of-the-box’ without any fine-tuning or additional prompting, Blackboard is relying on the measures deployed by AWS and the model providers (which Blackboard has reviewed).
• We make it clear in the Blackboard administrator console as well as in the user interface that this is AI-facilitated functionality and that output should be reviewed for accuracy.
• The AI Guidelines (which users need to accept before using AVA Playground) make it clear that AI output needs to be verified.
• As part of their communication regarding AVA Playground, customers should make their instructors and students aware of this potential limitation.
• Customers can report any inaccurate or inappropriate output to us using the channels listed above in the introduction.

Fairness

• Large language models inherently present risks relating to stereotyping, over/under-representation and other forms of harmful bias. The relevant model cards (see “How does the system work” section above) explain the measures deployed by the model providers to reduce fairness and bias risks.
• Since Blackboard provides the AWS Bedrock ‘out-of-the-box’ without any fine-tuning or additional prompting, Blackboard is relying on the measures deployed by AWS and model providers (which Blackboard has reviewed).
• We make it clear in the Blackboard administrator console as well as in the user interface that this is AI-facilitated functionality and that output should be reviewed for accuracy.
• The AI Guidelines (which users need to accept before using AVA Playground) make it clear that AI output needs to be verified.
• As part of their communication regarding the AVA Responses to Student Messages, Customers should make their instructors and students aware of this potential limitation.
• Customers can report any potentially harmful bias to us using the contact channels listed in the introduction.

Privacy and Security

• As described in the ‘Key facts’ section above, only limited personal information is used for AVA Playground and accessible to AWS. The section also describes our and AWS’ commitment regarding the use of any personal information.
• Prompts and output are stored in the customer’s usual Blackboard LMS database.
• Our Blackboard LMS product is ISO 27001/27017/27018/27701 certified. These certifications will include AVA Playground-related personal information managed by Blackboard. You can find more information about Blackboard’s approach to data privacy and security in our Trust Center.
• Amazon describes its data privacy and security practices and commitments in the documentation on Amazon Bedrock Security and Privacy.

Safety

• Large language models inherently present a risk of outputs that may be inappropriate, offensive or otherwise unsafe. The relevant model cards (see “How does the system work” section above) explain the measures deployed by the model providers to reduce safety risks.
• There are additional potential harms from the use of chatbots such as mental health issues, ‘AI psychosis’ and suicidal ideation.
• To help prevent potential misuse, Amazon Bedrock implements automated abuse detection mechanisms.
• Since Blackboard provides the AWS Bedrock ‘out-of-the-box’ without any fine-tuning or additional prompting, Blackboard is relying on the measures deployed by AWS and the model providers (which Blackboard has reviewed).
• To limit the risks and harms mentioned above, this feature is not designed to act as a general chatbot or companion bot. The “Out of Scope Use Cases” section (as well as the AVA Playground End User Agreement and the customer Generative AI Terms) helps using AVA Playground safely by outlining when AVA Playground should / must not be used.
• We have developed AI Guidelines (which users need to accept before using AVA Playground) to help users use AVA Playground (and other AI tools) safely.
• As part of their communication regarding AVA Playground, customers should make their students aware of this potential limitation.
• Customers should report any potentially unsafe output to us using the channels listed in the introduction.

Humans in control

• To minimize the risk related to the use of generative AI for our customers and their users, we intentionally put customers and users in control of AVA Playground.
• AVA Playground is switched off by default. Administrators must activate AVA Playground in the administrator panel before it can be used. Administrators can deactivate AVA Playground at the system level, at any time.
• AVA Playground is an optional feature by design. Users can decide if they want to use AVA Playground.
• AVA Playground does not include any automated decision-making that could have a legal or otherwise significant effect on users.
• We have developed AI Guidelines (which users need to accept before using AVA Playground) to help users use AVA Playground (and other AI tools) safely and responsibly.
• We encourage customers to carefully review this document, including the information links provided herein, to ensure they understand the capabilities and limitations of AVA Playground and the underlying AWS Bedrock models before they activate AVA Playground in the production environment.

Value alignment

• Large language models inherently have risks regarding output that is biased, inappropriate or otherwise not aligned with Blackboard’s values or the values of our customers and their users. The relevant model cards (see “How does the system work” section above) explain the measures deployed by the model providers to reduce value alignment risks.
• Additionally, large language models (like every technology that serves broad purposes), present the risk that they can generally be misused for use cases that do not align with the values of Blackboard, our customers or their end users and those of society more broadly (e.g., for criminal activities, to create harmful or otherwise inappropriate output).
• Since Blackboard provides the AWS Bedrock ‘out-of-the-box’ without any fine-tuning or additional prompting, Blackboard is relying on the measures deployed by AWS and the model providers (which Blackboard has reviewed).
• To limit the risks and harms mentioned above, this feature is not designed to act as a general chatbot or companion bot. The “Out of Scope Use Cases” section (as well as the AVA Playground End User Agreement and the customer Generative AI Terms) helps using AVA Playground safely by outlining when AVA Playground should / must not be used.
• The AI Guidelines (which users need to accept before using AVA Playground) help users engage with AVA Playground in alignment the values of our customers and users. For instance, the guidelines encourage users to follow the rules and policies of our customers, to use AI to enhance learning (not to replace it), to manage their time and engagement, recognize the difference between AI and human connection.

Intellectual property

• Large language models inherently present risks relating to potential infringement of intellectual property rights. Most intellectual property laws around the globe have not fully anticipated nor adapted to the emergence of large language models and the complexity of the issues that arise through their use. As a result, there is currently no clear legal framework or guidance that addresses the intellectual property issues and risks that arise from use of these models. The relevant model cards (see “How does the system work” section above) explain the measures deployed by the model providers.
• Since Blackboard provides the AWS Bedrock ‘out-of-the-box’ without any fine-tuning or additional prompting, Blackboard is relying on the measures deployed by AWS and the model providers (which Blackboard has reviewed).
• To limit the risks and harms mentioned above, this feature is not designed to act as a general chatbot or companion bot. The “Out of Scope Use Cases” section above (as well as the AVA Playground End User Agreement and the customer Generative AI Terms) helps using AVA Playground in accordance with intellectual property laws by outlining when AVA Playground should / must not be used.
• Ultimately, it is the customer’s and end user’s responsibility to review output generated by AVA Playground for any potential intellectual property right infringement.

Accessibility

We designed and developed AVA Playground with accessibility in mind as we do throughout Blackboard and our other products. Before the release of AVA Playground, we purposefully improved the accessibility of the semantic structure, navigation, keyboard controls, labels, custom components, and image workflows, to name a few areas. We will continue to prioritize accessibility as we leverage AI in the future.

Accountability

• Blackboard has a Trustworthy AI program designed to ensure the legal, ethical, and responsible use of AI. Clear internal accountability and the systematic ethical AI review or functionalities such as those provided by AVA Playground are key pillars of the program.
• To deliver AVA Playground, we partnered with AWS to leverage the AWS Bedrock models. AWS is committed to the responsible use of AI.
• Customers should consider implementing internal policies, procedures and review of third-party AI applications to ensure their own legal, ethical, and responsible use of AI.
• This information is provided to support our customers’ review of AVA Playground.

Further information

• Blackboard’s Trustworthy AI approach
• Blackboard’s AI Guidelines
• AVA Playground End User Agreement
• Customer Generative AI Terms
• AWS page on responsible use of AI
• Amazon Bedrock Security and Privacy
• AWS Data Privacy FAQs
• Amazon Bedrock FAQs
• AWS Acceptable Use Policy
• AWS Responsible AI Policy