Students Say AI-Taught Course Left Them Feeling Cheated at Staffordshire University

Some students at the University of Staffordshire say their dreams of breaking into digital careers fell flat after discovering that much of their coding course was taught using AI. James and Owen were among 41 students enrolled in a government-funded apprenticeship designed to help them become cybersecurity pros or software engineers. Instead, they found themselves listening to AI-generated PowerPoints, sometimes even read aloud by an artificial voice.

Frustration Grows Over AI in the Classroom

James didn’t mince words, saying he worried he had “used up two years” of his life on a course delivered “in the cheapest way possible.” He said, “If we handed in stuff that was AI-generated, we would be kicked out of the uni, but we’re being taught by an AI.”

Students Raise Red Flags

James and fellow students repeatedly confronted staff, pointing out suspicious signs in the materials—American spellings, shallow explanations, oddly named files, and even a video where the narrator’s voice randomly switched into a Spanish accent mid-sentence. One student joked in a lecture, “There is some gold in the bottom of this pan. But presumably we could get the gold ourselves, by asking ChatGPT.”

Despite concerns, the university continued using AI-generated content. A new policy was posted supporting “a framework for academic professionals leveraging AI automation,” even though public-facing rules warn students that using AI as their own work could result in academic misconduct.

University Responds, But Students Aren’t Satisfied

The university told reporters that academic standards had been maintained and that AI should “support elements of preparation” without replacing academic expertise. Administrators brought in human lecturers for the final session, but James said this was far too late, adding, “I feel like a bit of my life was stolen.” Owen agreed, saying he chose the course for real learning, not just a qualification, and that the experience felt like a total waste of time.

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