The state’s universities are deploying AI in lectures, as a virtual assistant for conversational skills and as a “study buddy” as the technology continues its march on higher education.
Backlash is brewing across the sector as concerns mount about hollowed-out and devalued qualifications, for which some students will pay record prices next year.
Since ChatGPT exploded in late 2022, universities have been grappling with how to handle the rise in student use of AI, but teaching stands as a new frontier for the technology.
The University of Newcastle this month told introduction to programming students that part of the course would be delivered by an AI digital avatar of the course convener.
Newcastle’s acting pro vice-chancellor for education innovation, Professor Karen Blackmore, said in a statement the university had started “academic-led initiatives” into how AI could enhance course delivery and the lecturer was “using short AI videos to demonstrate the real-world application of the technology”.
The computer programming course will continue to include face-to-face laboratory sessions and live classes.
“The university does not support replacing traditional lectures with AI-delivered content,” she said.
University of Newcastle Students’ Association president Imogen Reid said students were wary of AI “sneaking” into courses, while the National Tertiary Education Union’s Newcastle branch president Dr Terry Summers questioned the university’s motivation.
“It’s some sort of project that they’re trying, but why are they trying? It may just be for a project, or it may be to see if they can get away with doing it on a larger scale. If it’s delivering lectures, it would seem to me that it misses the whole point of a university education,” he said.
“The community and the students are paying for a degree, and if it’s being delivered by a ChatGPT avatar, it’s not quite kosher, is it?”
AI tutors have been rolled out at universities in America, including Virginia’s George Mason University and Chicago’s Generations College. In 2024, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology deployed 10 AI lecturers of varying ages, nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
The New York Times has also reported that Harvard Business School used volunteer academics to help create AI clones of themselves for a new eight-week entrepreneurship boot camp. Harvard has tested the product, which costs $US699 ($975), with more than 100 universities across 50 states.
NTEU NSW division secretary Vince Caughley said: “The loss here is fundamental. If you remove enough academics and these critical interactions, then these institutions are no longer universities.”
AI enthusiasts say it saves time and effort and allows academics to focus on more critical tasks, and can provide out-of-hours answers and feedback. Many in the sector acknowledged that AI is here to stay, so universities must act accordingly.
At NSW’s 11 universities, AI’s use in teaching varies greatly.
The University of New England uses AI avatars in simulations “primarily for students to practice in before their assessments are conducted with actual humans”, chief AI officer Associate Professor Aaron Driver said.
“For example, an avatar might play the role of an athlete in a clinical exercise physiology simulation. Or they might be simulated patients in pharmacy, psychology and nursing.”
The University of Technology, Sydney, is considering “learning assistants” for tasks such as role-playing through conversational skills or reflection on study experiences. Teachers are using AI to prepare class materials.
At the state’s oldest university, the University of Sydney, AI can be used to “support curriculum development, generate ideas, review drafts or help structure learning and assessment materials” under the supervision of a person.
“There may be some circumstances where considered use of an AI avatar can enhance teaching. We’ve seen the technology put to innovative use by educators providing students with oral exams and presentation practice, and by an academic who lives with a vocal disability,” deputy vice-chancellor (education and students) Professor Joanne Wright said.
Sydney is also home to Cogniti, a platform that builds custom AI agents for teachers particular to their course.
The University of NSW permits AI to support admin or prep tasks that “operate under academic oversight and do not replace academic judgment in marking”, it said in a statement.
At Macquarie University, students can use an AI-powered “academic support assistant” to “answer questions using approved course materials, including lecture slides, unit guides, assessment information, policies, and learning resources”.
At Western Sydney University, “academic staff are already using generative AI in a range of ways to support teaching and assessment”, a spokesperson said.
The University of Wollongong has launched a program named UoW RenAIssance, which has piloted “AI study buddies”. It is looking at how AI can provide student feedback and learning support, design rubrics and come up with teaching ideas.
“Academics are exploring questions such as how AI can support learning, how it can provide timely feedback and guidance to students, how it might complement assessment, and where human expertise and judgment remain essential,” said pro vice-chancellor for teaching and learning Professor Kelly Matthews.
Charles Sturt University said it does not use AI to determine student grades and AI avatars are not used for lectures.
University of Canberra vice chancellor Bill Shorten said his institution was working to “ensure learning, teaching and research are enhanced through the inclusion of AI”.
The Australian National University, Southern Cross University, and Australian Catholic University did not respond to questions.
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