Macquarie University swaps in-person psychology classes with AI chatbot for two subjects
Macquarie University has replaced in-person classes with AI chatbots for two psychology subjects, sparking concerns among students and academics about the quality of education and potential job losses. The university maintains that the AI tools are optional supplements to core learning.
Why it matters
This move highlights the growing tension between the integration of AI in higher education and the preservation of traditional teaching roles and student experience.
Multiple universities such as Macquarie University, the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney have introduced AI tools and platforms. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA Multiple universities such as Macquarie University, the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney have introduced AI tools and platforms. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA AI (artificial intelligence) Macquarie University swaps in-person psychology classes with AI chatbot for two subjects University’s move is part of trend that critics within academia say will lead to further staff cuts and the loss of ‘everything that makes the job worth doing’
Prefer the Guardian on Google An Australian university has swapped in-person classes with an AI chatbot, online quizzes and optional online tutorials in two subjects as institutions give the technology more teaching responsibilities.
Macquarie University’s “Virtual Peer” is part of each week’s learning in two mandatory Psychology units, programmed to ask students questions and guide them through scenario-based exercises.
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