“The university should not have ever allowed this to happen.”
But the University of Auckland (UoA) says the assertion that students in the course don’t have a human teaching them is “incorrect” and AI tutors will not replace in-person teaching.
“This popular digital marketing course, led by a respected leader in AI education, includes AI-driven tutors as supplementary learning tools. This award-winning use of technology has undergone rigorous testing to provide engaging, factual content to support students’ learning and ensure they are well-prepared for the evolving job market,” a UoA business school spokesperson said.
“Students receive highly interactive two-hour tutorials in person every week.”
The spokesperson said AI skills were essential for marketing graduates and the teaching team was intentionally incorporating AI in this course because “proficiency with these tools has become a non-negotiable requirement in the marketing industry”.
“Across the University of Auckland, students are gaining hands-on experience with AI in various disciplines, equipping them with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing professional landscape.
“The University of Auckland Business School has a strong reputation for innovative teaching and learning methods and is embedding AI tools across multiple courses. The teaching team that developed the AI-driven tutors has been recognised globally for AI innovations in teaching and learning with a recent award at the prestigious QS Reimagine Education Awards.”
Dozens of students taking the course had been discussing the change on social media.
“AI is constantly incorrect, environmentally damaging and such a stupid way of learning. I started studying so I could be taught by professionals, not a robot telling me slop gathered from hundreds of places on the internet,” the student said.
“How am I supposed to reliably learn topics for a test when the AI will barely know what it’s saying and spew out incorrect and irrelevant information?”
Course information sent to students said: “Since we have no formal lectures, it is imperative that you are prepared for each tutorial by completing that week’s module using one of the AI tutors.
“We’re going all in on AI this semester! Instead of traditional lecture slides, you’ll be working with three AI tutors.”
The listed software was called Project Sofia, Course Custom GPT and Google’s NotebookLM.
The Digital Marketing course is part of a Business and Economics degree, and is billed as “examin[ing] how digital devices and applications are transforming the way organisations engage with consumers and how consumers search for, compare and select products”.
The course overview said it is “an introduction to the theory and practice of holistic inbound digital marketing, developing knowledge and skills relevant to key aspects such as digital analytics, social media, content marketing, digital advertising, and marketing automation.
“Throughout the course, students will learn to develop integrated marketing campaigns, applying industry tools and resources.”
It also said based on feedback from students who studied digital marketing between 2023 and 2024, several enhancements would be made to the course in 2025.
“AI applications in marketing will be integrated across all modules, with various AI tools introduced to enhance learning and practical application. Students will explore how AI can be seamlessly incorporated into different aspects of digital marketing, gaining hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology.”
Course fees for Digital Marketing 304 in 2025 are listed as $967.80 for domestic students and $5730.15 for international students.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.
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