---
title: "AI authoring (Cirrus Assist)"
slug: "ai-authoring"
tags: ["admin", "integration", "billing"]
updated: 2026-05-28T11:15:16Z
published: 2026-05-28T11:15:16Z
canonical: "help.cirrusassessment.com/ai-authoring"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.cirrusassessment.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AI authoring

#### Cirrus assist: a smarter way to build item banks

Cirrus Assist is a faster, smarter way to build your item banks, integrated into the side panel of question creation.

              
              

Cirrus Assist is an **add-on**. To trial it, contact us and we will enable it for your account.

Cirrus Assist is designed to help authors create, update, and improve assessment questions. It also includes a general chat interface for unrestricted interactions.

![cirrus intro.gif](https://cdn.document360.io/cdfc20c8-6721-4154-b0a1-9f49f139d107/Images/Documentation/cirrus%20intro.gif)

              Supported question types and file uploads

              

**Supported question types:**

- Multiple Choice (MC)
- Multiple Response (MR)
- Either/Or
- Essay

**Supported file types for contextual AI responses:**

- PDF
- Word Documents (.doc, .docx)

### Features and functionality

#### 1. General chat

- Open chat interface with no restrictions.
- Suitable for free-form conversations or exploring ideas.

#### 2. Create question from scratch

Uses guided prompts to generate questions tailored to your specifications.

##### 2.1 guided prompts

The AI guides you through the following prompts:

![Prompts.gif](https://cdn.document360.io/cdfc20c8-6721-4154-b0a1-9f49f139d107/Images/Documentation/Prompts.gif)

**General prompts (all question types)**

1. What is the specific topic or subject area?
2. How challenging should this question be?
3. Are there any specific details or constraints to include?
4. Should the question be set within a particular context or scenario?
5. What instructions or guidelines should be given to ensure clarity?

**Additional prompts (Essay questions only)**

1. What is the desired format of the candidate's answer?
2. How should marks be allocated for different parts of the question?
3. What are the key points or model answers?

##### 2.2 selectable output

After responding to prompts, a **Select All** section appears with the following options:

- **Title**
- **Question**
- **Choices**: 4 options for Multiple Choice and Multiple Response; 2 for Either/Or
- **Topic**
- **Difficulty** (Angoff scale from 0 to 1)
- **Feedback on alternatives** (if enabled)
- **Feedback on the question itself**

![Output.gif](https://cdn.document360.io/cdfc20c8-6721-4154-b0a1-9f49f139d107/Images/Documentation/Output.gif)

              Essay questions only: marking scheme

              

AI responses can be regenerated if needed. When multiple responses are available, navigate between them using the arrow icons. Once satisfied, select the desired responses and click **Confirm** to populate the question editor.

**Additional notes**

- Prompts are tailored based on question type.
- Essay questions include three additional prompts.

#### 3. Organise from raw text

This feature enables authors to create questions using a single prompt. It is faster than **Create Question from Scratch** but may produce less precise output.

**Reset functionality**

The circular arrow at the top right of the Cirrus Assist sidebar resets the chat and returns to the start page.

**AI source**

By default, Cirrus Assist uses ChatGPT web search (version 4).

---

### Simple user workflow

1. Open the side panel to launch Cirrus Assist.
2. Select **General Chat**, **Create Question from Scratch**, or **Organise from Raw Text**.
3. Follow the guided prompts (when creating a question).
4. Review and select AI-generated content.
5. Click **Confirm** to populate the question editor.

**Optional adjustments:** Attach files or use the microphone for more specific interactions.

**Reset:** Use the reset icon to start over.

---

### Using Cirrus assist via API

Clients must provide their own OpenAI API key to enable Cirrus Assist. Create an API key at [platform.openai.com](https://platform.openai.com/), where pricing is explained under the **Pricing** tab.

This operates on a pay-as-you-go basis. There is no monthly subscription required unless you choose a plan such as ChatGPT Plus (which applies to chat, not API usage). Charges are based on tokens, covering both input and output.

### Data and privacy

When using OpenAI's API, your data is not used for training unless you explicitly opt in. See OpenAI's [enterprise privacy policy](https://openai.com/enterprise-privacy/) for details.

By default, OpenAI retains API data for 30 days to monitor for abuse or misuse. Organisations can request zero data retention if required.

---

#### Important: AI limitations

Note that the accuracy of responses may vary based on the complexity and specificity of prompts.

- The **Organise from Raw Text** feature is faster but may produce less precise output than **Create Question from Scratch**.
- For Essay questions, provide detailed information about the desired format, marking scheme, and model answers to maximise output quality.