NSW universities bring AI into lectures as concern grows over the value of degrees
New South Wales universities are moving AI into the classroom itself, with some using it in lectures, as a virtual assistant for speaking practice and
New South Wales universities are moving AI into the classroom itself, with some using it in lectures, as a virtual assistant for speaking practice and as a “study buddy” for students. The shift is drawing pushback from across the sector, where critics warn that expensive degrees risk being hollowed out just as fees climb to record levels next year.
AI moves from homework to teaching
Since ChatGPT surged into public use in late 2022, Australian universities have spent years trying to police student use of AI. Teaching is now the next battleground. What once looked like a cheating problem is starting to reshape how courses are delivered.
The University of Newcastle told introduction to programming students this month that part of the course would be delivered by an AI digital avatar of the course convener. The university’s acting pro vice-chancellor for education innovation, Karen Blackmore, said in a statement that Newcastle had started “academic-led initiatives” to test how AI could improve course delivery, and that the lecturer was using short AI videos to show the technology’s real-world application.
The programming course will still include face-to-face laboratory sessions and live classes. Newcastle also said it does not support replacing traditional lectures with AI.
What students are being offered
Across the state, universities are experimenting with AI in different ways. Some are using it inside lectures. Others are rolling out virtual assistants to help students practise conversational skills. One use-case is being pitched simply as a study buddy.
The changes matter well beyond one campus. A new analysis cited by The Conversation found that Turnitin, the plagiarism-detection company used widely in universities, reported 53.6% of Australian tertiary education submissions run through its system between October 2025 and April 2026 included some form of AI use. It also said 10% of those submissions contained more than 80% AI-written content.
That does not automatically mean misconduct. Detection tools estimate the likelihood of AI-assisted writing, not whether a student broke university rules. Still, the numbers show how deeply the technology has entered coursework.
Trust, workload and a changing sector
The debate is not only about students. A recent case involving a university pro vice-chancellor who admitted using AI to write an opinion piece without disclosing it also exposed a wider trust problem around the technology. At the same time, Australian staff surveys point to strain inside the sector, with workload pressures and doubts about long-term retention.
Universities are under pressure to show they can adapt without cheapening the product. Many students already question what they are paying for. The worry among critics is blunt: if AI starts to stand in for teaching, assessment and writing, then the qualification itself may lose value.
For now, the experiment is moving campus by campus, course by course. The next test will be whether universities can make AI useful in teaching without convincing students they are paying premium prices for a digital substitute.
