Key facts
- Teachers at Euan Blair's tech training company, Multiverse, are experiencing significant stress due to an AI system that monitors and rates their performance.
- The AI analyzes transcripts of online teaching sessions, flagging issues like slow response times to disruptions or overuse of filler words.
- Staff reported feeling "remorseless" and "unnerving" under the AI's scrutiny, with some experiencing sleep loss and anxiety.
- Multiverse co-founder Euan Blair is a proponent of AI adoption in the UK economy.
- The company uses AI models from providers including Anthropic and OpenAI.
- Multiverse claims the AI system is intended to improve learner experiences and direct human attention to areas needing it most.
Teachers at Euan Blair's tech training company, Multiverse, have raised concerns about "horrendous stress" and feeling constantly surveilled due to a new artificial intelligence system implemented to monitor and rate their teaching performance. The AI analyzes transcripts of online classroom sessions, flagging potential issues such as slow responses to technical disruptions or the use of filler words like "sort of" and "kind of."
Staff described the system as "remorseless" and "unnerving," with some reporting sleep disturbances and anxiety. Previously, instructors were observed monthly by human managers, but the new AI system monitors them for several hours daily. The AI is trained to identify vague answers, learner disengagement, or prolonged one-on-one exchanges that sideline the group.
Multiverse, which trains thousands of UK public and private sector workers in AI and digital skills, stated that the AI does not replace human judgment but rather "directs human time to where it’s needed most" by highlighting areas for review. A spokesperson said the system aims to "improve the experience of learners and customers," and that human managers are solely responsible for performance reviews. The company also noted that the introduction of the system was communicated in advance and teachers will have access to the collected data.
Critics warn that AI monitoring risks eroding human agency and can lead to worker rebellion, with one study suggesting it degrades work satisfaction. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has called for new laws to ensure AI is deployed responsibly, preventing the degradation of skilled work and excessive profit for a few.