How AI tutors could change exams, curriculum at Swinburne University in major learning overhaulA ‘one-on-one tutor that never sleeps’ and live presentations replacing exams could reshape learning under a Melbourne university’s major artificial intelligence push.Jayitri Smiles3 min readApril 15, 2026 - 12:00PMNews360 CommercialAI tutors that are accessible 24/7 are changing the way Swinburne teaches. Picture: SuppliedNewsDon't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.A “one-on-one tutor that never sleeps” and live presentations replacing exams could reshape learning under a Victorian university’s major artificial intelligence push.Swinburne University of Technology is moving to shake off lingering taboos about AI in higher education, positioning itself at the forefront of technology to support student learning. Swinburne Pro Vice-Chancellor of Educational Innovation Professor Llew Mann said the university was focused on developing first-of-its-kind tools to deliver courses differently, including using “AI agents as tutors”.“We’ve already deployed a teaching assistant called Alvie for Swinburne Online students that allows students to ask about materials and concepts they may not understand. Alvie will be available for on campus students as part of a pilot this year,” Professor Mann said.“Not only can students ask Alvie questions at 2am, but the data can be used by teachers to understand what they may need to go over again in class.”Swinburne’s new AI student group meet regularly to shape how AI impacts the classroom.The tool would source information from a controlled learning environment rather than scraping the web for answers, meaning the university stayed in control of the content.The Melbourne-based institution has also entered a world-first partnership through the Adobe Creative Campus initiative, giving students access to a full suite of AI tools that allow them to explore, design and experiment with emerging technology. Another collaboration with the University of Texas at San Antonio found there would be an increase in live student presentations and interactive tasks designed to test thinking, rather than exam memorisation. It proposed a future with “a one-on-one tutor that never sleeps and is wrong about 4 per cent of the time”. Research presented as part of this partnership found AI-assisted assignments achieved higher grades than traditional essays, with students scoring an average of 97.2 per cent compared to 93.5 per cent. Researchers credited the lift to a better understanding of subject matter and increased curiosity.Professor Mann said AI could also help level the playing field for students across all socio-economic backgrounds. “Tech for purpose can create personalised support for equity students, like those with learning difficulties, and create massive opportunities in their education,” he said. Swinburne Pro Vice-Chancellor of Educational Innovation Professor Llew Mann. Picture: Supplied by Swinburne“There are some baseline tools like transcribing a class … but what we’ve found is if you actually provide these tools to all students, everyone benefits.”He said students were eager to use the technology responsibly, despite concerns about misuse.“While there’s a prevailing thought that students use AI all the time and often to cheat, most are actually really struggling with whether they should use it,” he said.“They’re worried about short-changing or devaluing their degree, as well as data and copyright issues and environmental impact.“That’s why our university has a focus on being clear about why we use technology and ensuring it supports people and builds communities.”HOW STUDENTS ARE GUIDING NEW POLICYSwinburne’s new AI student group meet regularly to shape how AI impacts the classroom.A first-of-its-kind group is trying to take the stress out of AI use as a new generation of workers grapple with the pros and cons of the technology.The Swinburne Student AI Group will ensure the university’s policies reflect how pupils want to learn and use artificial intelligence in the classroom. Passionate students meet to debate ethical questions, discuss classroom use and propose ideas for how AI should be used across coursework.Their opinions are fed directly to senior university leadership as they develop new AI usage policies, according to founder and recent Bachelor of Law and Arts graduate Lily Ballot Jones. “I don’t think people give themselves enough credit for how difficult it really is to respond in the face of such genuine uncertainty,” Ms Ballot Jones said. “What we decide now could have a bigger impact than we think.” Lily Ballot-Jones is a recent graduate and founder of the Swinburne student group.She said accusations of using AI inappropriately had caused distress for students, making the issue as much about wellbeing as it was about learning.Swinburne will soon publish its student guidance outlining acceptable and unacceptable use of AI in studies.Pro Vice-Chancellor of Educational Innovation Professor Llew Mann said it was important students and teachers were “all on a similar page” about how to use AI.“The rapid pace of advancement in AI will impact our learners more than anyone else in the community, which is why co-creating how we use these tools with our students is so important,” he said.“We are preparing our learners to become the tech-fluent pioneers of the future, which is why we’ve taken steps to work proactively with AI, rather than against it.”Ms Ballot Jones will remain on campus as an AI researcher while entering Victoria’s legal practice.Join the conversationAdd your comment to this storyTo join the conversation, please log in. 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