Photo courtesy of Pixabay Not your average test anxiety: How universities are using AI at the expense of student mental health and privacy This past semester held new learning challenges and opportunities for University of Calgary students and educators alike. Some students embraced the new attire and classroom setting — pajamas and sweatpants in bed, while professors and teaching assistants (TAs) had no choice but to befriend the new technologies, in all of their glory and awkwardness, that made classes possible this year. Professors and TAs learned the true meaning of “teaching into the void.” Yet there were surprising moments of connection brought about by the shared experience of 2020’s unprecedented events and the strange circumstances in which we all found ourselves: the unexpected intimacy of inviting people into our homes virtually, and of course, the joy of pet cameos that united animal lovers globally. But despite these shared experiences, the online environment is still a poor substitute for physical classrooms that facilitate the development of trust and connection between students and teachers. This crisis in relationships is a major factor contributing to the appeal of surveillance software in the virtual classroom.