Extension Foundation Announces New Multimodal ExtensionBot to Help Institutions Become AI-Ready

The Extension Foundation is pleased to announce that a new version of ExtensionBot (ExtBot) is now in testing. This next-generation version introduces significant upgrades designed to make artificial intelligence more available and useful across Cooperative Extension.

The updated ExtensionBot includes:

• Multimodal support to upload images alongside prompts for richer interactions.
• Model choice to select from multiple AI models when asking questions.
• Improved feedback tools to enhance ways to share what works and what needs improvement.
• Better citations for clearer, more reliable sourcing included in responses.

“With multimodal support, ExtensionBot can now analyze images alongside text, which opens the door to new ways Extension professionals can use AI in their work” said Mark Locklear, who helps lead the ExtBot project at the Extension Foundation. 

While still under testing, this version of ExtensionBot reflects a broader vision: helping Land-grant universities across the U.S. prepare both their data and their people for the AI era. The Extension Foundation leverages ExtensionBot not only as a tool, but also, with MERLIN, its companion platform, as a starting place for institutions to think about making their data AI-ready.

“ExtensionBot gives Cooperative Extension a practical way to step into the AI era. What our team is trying to do is help institutions think about how their data is prepared for AI and how their people can build confidence in using it” said Dr. Aaron Weibe, Director of Technology Services & Communications for the Extension Foundation. “Wherever institutions decide to go with AI in the future locally, ExtensionBot can be a great starting point on that journey.”

The Foundation welcomes Extension professionals to test this new version and provide feedback that will help shape its final release. To participate in testing, please reach out to Mark Locklear at marklocklear@extension.org or David Warren at davidwarren@extension.org.

About the Extension Foundation

The Extension Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the nationwide Cooperative Extension System — the network of 112 Land-grant Universities that bring research and education directly into communities across the United States. Created by Extension leaders, the Foundation serves as the national infrastructure that helps this system scale its impact.

Through technology platforms, artificial intelligence tools, national programs, communications, and professional development, the Extension Foundation strengthens the ability of Cooperative Extension to respond to emerging challenges in agriculture, health, environment, and community development. Every dollar is reinvested to ensure that Extension professionals and institutions have the tools, resources, and support they need to serve people where they live and work.

This work is supported by New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture in partnership with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension.