In this study, we examine how to adopt AI-based conversational chat in higher education and discuss our experiences and findings in integrating external datasets with machine learning-based chat conversations. The adoption of artificial intelligence in higher education institutes and universities is just starting, and scientific literature in this field is limited. In this study, we conceptualise and model the adoption and integration experience using our case experiment. This article provides new knowledge for automating student services by adopting AI-based service chats that enrich conversations by integrating external data services into chat platforms. This can allow higher education institutes and universities to conserve human resources and allow them to provide uninterrupted student services 24/7. We recommend further research on the methods and practices that promote the integration of various AI-based services from the perspective of the API economy.