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The custom AI platform, known as Madgwick, will be completely free for students and offer a range of models and tools.
Students at the University of New England will get access to a custom suite of AI models and tools, based on a platform developed in partnership with Aussie AI startup, Simtheory.
“UNE was on the frontier of distance education 70 years ago, when the idea that students could gain a good education without being on a university campus was frowned upon. We're honouring that independent, unconventional spirit as we actively prepare ourselves for the age of AI,” UNE Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Moran said in a statement.
“Madgwick Student is about putting the latest AI tools in the hands of students so that they can – if they choose – learn to use this technology to support their aspirations.”
Moran said that many of the university’s students were already using AI to support their education, but often at the compromise of having their data used to train those same AI models.
The platform – named Madgwick after the university’s first vice-chancellor – offers a secure AI environment that will not train itself on student data, alongside guardrails to protect users and additional safety features that can flag harmful content.
The university said that with AI becoming an essential part of many job descriptions, the need to provide access to AI tools to students is of paramount importance.
Aside from protecting student content from voracious LLMs, Madgwick also solves another puzzle – affordability.
"Access to the best models comes at a cost that not all our students can afford, and anyone signed up directly to an AI provider can expect that their data will be used for model training, and probably for other commercial purposes,” Moran said.
“The integrity of courses and our student learning is not diminished by the availability of Madgwick Student. Since the first public release of Large Language Models, UNE has undertaken substantial work to ensure that student learning environments reflect technological change, and that academic integrity is maintained.”
Simtheory AI co-founder, Michael Sharkey, called AI a “disruptive force in education”.
“UNE's history is defined by innovation – they pioneered remote learning in Australia and have always pushed the boundaries of educational delivery,” Sharkey said.
"It is now demonstrating remarkable foresight by leading the charge into what will be a transformative era for education, and we're honoured to be their partner in this work."
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
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