The email introducing the feature (May 2017) described it as follows:

`Get an inside peek at the Amazon-sponsored university competition to advance AI. The Alexa Prize "socialbots" are in early development and understandably rough around the edges. Help students develop more engaging AI by striking up a conversation and providing feedback. To get started, just ask: Alexa what's a socialbot? Alexa let's chat`

The only interactions students would have access to was interactions that occurred via the chatbot