Teachers at Euan Blair firm report ‘horrendous stress’ after AI used to rate their work
Exclusive: Instructors at tech training company Multiverse hit out at ‘remorseless’ and ‘unnerving’ AI teacher monitoring system Teachers at Euan Blair’s £1.6bn tech training company, Multiverse, have blown the whistle about “horrendous stress” and feeling constantly watched after bosses started using AI models to surveil and rate their teaching. Staff delivering apprenticeship training in…
Teachers at Multiverse, a £1.6 billion tech training company founded by the son of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, have expressed distress over an AI teacher monitoring system that monitors their work. This system, which analyses transcripts of online classroom sessions and scores instructors' performance, has been described as "remorseless" and "unnerving" by the staff.
The AI flags issues such as not responding to technical disruptions quickly enough and using too many filler phrases, like "sort of" and "kind of." Teachers claim the system has caused significant stress, affecting their sleep and overall well-being. Multiverse, which employs over 800 people and provides AI and digital skills training to the NHS, local councils, universities, and the private sector, claims the AI system aims to assist human managers in identifying problems and improving the learner experience.
However, teachers argue that the system has led to constant scrutiny and anxiety, and they fear it may deter workers from embracing AI in the workplace. Critics warn that AI monitoring could erode human agency and decrease work satisfaction, with recent studies highlighting the negative impact of AI on worker morale. Multiverse maintains that the AI system is merely a tool to aid human judgment and improve the overall learning experience for learners and customers.
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