China Pauses AI Tools Nationwide to Curb Cheating in College Exams

In the U.S., students stress over standardized tests like the SAT and LSAT, while in China, the gaokao serves a similar purpose, determining college futures for about 13 million students over a grueling three-day exam. The pressure to cheat is immense, prompting a unique response from China: the complete shutdown of AI access during the testing period. Major AI companies, including Alibaba and Tencent, disabled functionalities like photo recognition that could help students cheat. This drastic measure was implemented without public announcement, causing panic among students accustomed to relying on AI for assistance. Surprisingly, while students are prohibited from using AI tools during exams, test administrators can employ AI surveillance to ensure compliance. This situation exemplifies the double standard in the use of AI, highlighting the tension between technological reliance and academic integrity in high-stakes testing environments.

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