Running into an issue in AI Skills Studio? Refer to the following topics to resolve your specific problem.
Getting started / requirements
I can't get started on a mission. Check the Requirements line on the mission page first. Missions use real third-party tools, so you may need an account somewhere else.
A mission needs a paid ("Pro") feature of a third-party tool — what do I do? Try these options:
- Check whether your school provides a Pro account for the tool and, if so, sign in with your school account.
- Check whether the mission partner is offering a redeemable Pro account for Handshake learners. Availability varies by mission.
- You can also use a personal account for tools like Gemini, ChatGPT, or Claude.
Tip: Your work belongs to you. To make sure you can access it later or share it with employers, export or save a copy of anything you create.
Is AI Skills Studio available outside the US? Yes. AI Skills Studio is available to anyone with a student or alumni Handshake account, regardless of country. This is happening in gradual stages, so if AI Skills Studio is not available at this time, check back soon!
I'm a Handshake AI Fellow — can I also use AI Skills Studio? Yes. If you have a Handshake student or alumni account, you can use AI Skills Studio through that account to build your skills alongside your Fellow project work.
AI Skills Instructor (Ace)
Nothing happened when I clicked Launch. It opened, but nothing is happening. Give it 15–20 seconds. Ace may take a moment to load, and there may not be any visible activity while it’s starting
Ace isn't saying anything. Check your browser's microphone permissions. Handshake needs mic access, and the site can't be muted. Once permissions are allowed, close the session and relaunch it.
The AI Instructor can't hear me. Confirm microphone access is allowed for Handshake, and check the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the screen to confirm the correct microphone is selected.
How do I allow microphone access? If Ace isn’t hearing you, update your browser’s microphone permissions for Handshake:
- Chrome: Click the lock/tune icon to the left of the address bar → Site settings → set Microphone to Allow.
- Safari: Go to Safari → Settings → Websites → Microphone, find Handshake, and set it to Allow.
- Firefox: Click the lock icon in the address bar → Permissions → set Microphone to Allow.
- Edge: Click the lock icon in the address bar → Permissions for this site → set Microphone to Allow.
After changing the setting, reload the AI Skills Instructor session and relaunch Ace. Steps may vary slightly by browser version.
How do I report a technical issue while I'm in a session with Ace? You can report an issue without leaving your session. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the AI Skills Instructor screen and select the option to report a technical issue.