According to the university, the tool—known as Virtual Peer—is designed to guide students through scenario-based exercises, though the shift has sparked student frustration and growing pushback from staff unions over job security and workload crises.
Macquarie University Deploys Virtual Peer in Psychology Units
Macquarie University integrated its Virtual Peer tool as part of weekly learning requirements for two mandatory psychology subjects. According to the university, the AI is programmed to ask students questions and lead scenario-based exercises. The university stated that the AI activities are optional and supplement core learning materials such as online readings, videos, and quizzes.
Neither the core materials nor the AI activities are mandatory for course completion, with students assessed instead on separate research tasks and exams. Both subjects featured in-person classes during the first semester, but transitioned to online-only delivery for the second semester. The university announced that in-person classes will return in 2027 on alternating semesters to give students format options.
Did you know? Macquarie’s Virtual Peer answered close to 80,000 student questions throughout 2025, but matched that volume in just the first half of 2026, driven largely by administrative queries.
Student and Staff Backlash Over Reduced Human Contact
The reduction in face-to-face teaching has drawn criticism from enrolled students. One student, speaking anonymously due to degree structure issues, told reporters they felt short-changed after being forced into the online option.
“Instead of a group discussion or a tutor teaching you, it’s a class activity done with a robot,” the student said, adding concerns about automation replacing instructional roles. Previously, online versions of these subjects offered optional weekly Zoom tutorials with paid academics, which have now been replaced solely by the Virtual Peer and associated online content.
Macquarie maintains that educators designed the tool in partnership with staff, who uploaded and verified the underlying information. This curation makes the service less prone to hallucinations compared to general-purpose AI tools, according to the university, which also monitors student conversations on the platform.
Broader AI Adoption Across Australian Universities
Macquarie joins institutions like the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney in systematically embedding AI into coursework. Meena Jha, an associate professor at Central Queensland University, noted in her research that she had not previously encountered universities simultaneously cutting in-person classes and deploying AI chatbots.
“Students require that human touch … [and] engagement will be a very big issue if we replace everything with virtual tutors,” said Jha, head of CQU’s pedagogy and technology cluster. CQU is currently piloting its own AI support tool named “Birdy” across 24 units, while Jha built an AI avatar named Neena Chatbot to answer student inquiries.
At the University of Sydney, hundreds of academics utilize the generative AI platform Cogniti for chatbots and scenario tasks. A Sydney discussion paper released in late August envisions future models where AI delivers personalised teaching while staff-contact hours decline. A university spokesperson stated that the initiative aims to improve the student experience rather than cut costs, emphasizing that human judgment and relationships remain essential.
Union Pushback and Upcoming Strikes
Staff concerns regarding job security and diminished instructional quality have escalated alongside these technological rollouts. Peter Chen, president of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) branch at the University of Sydney, stated that funding shortfalls combined with AI adoption leave fewer academics managing larger classes.
“For some staff, they’re afraid they’re going to lose their jobs,” Chen said. University staff planned a strike to demand AI protections and relief from workload pressures. While the university described the strike action as premature and argued that AI should be governed through institutional policy rather than a three-year enterprise agreement, NTEU national president Alison Barnes asserted that staff across the sector will fight for binding workplace protections against piecemeal AI rollouts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the AI chatbot activities at Macquarie University mandatory?
No. According to the university, both the AI activities and core online learning materials are optional, and students are assessed strictly on separate research tasks and exams.
Do these psychology subjects include any human interaction?
Yes. The subjects still feature paid tutors who run optional, unstructured Zoom feedback sessions each week, though attendance varies.
How much do these psychology subjects cost students?
Each individual psychology subject costs $2,174 for Australian students enrolled with commonwealth-supported places.
Which other universities are using similar AI teaching tools?
The University of Sydney and Central Queensland University have also implemented custom educational AI platforms for student support and coursework integration.
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