As technology evolves and the pressure for top grades intensifies, students are increasingly turning to AI-powered smart glasses to gain an unfair advantage in examinations.
In the test-obsessed societies of East Asia, where a single exam can dictate a student’s career trajectory and social status, educators are now scrambling to address this burgeoning threat to academic integrity, reports CNN.
Recent months have seen a surge in reported cases. In South Korea, two individuals were caught using smart glasses during an English language assessment exam, the results of which are critical for hiring decisions. These represent the country’s first reported cases of cheating involving AI eyewear.
Similarly, in Taiwan, a student sitting for a prestigious medical school entrance exam was discovered wearing the devices. Proctors became suspicious when the student stared “oddly” at the paper; a subsequent inspection revealed the frames were emitting heat.
A ‘viable technology’
The efficacy of these devices was recently demonstrated in a controlled experiment at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Assistant Professor Meng Zili and Professor Zhang Jun tested commercial AI glasses during an undergraduate electrical engineering exam.
The results were striking: by transmitting questions to an AI large language model, the glasses displayed generated answers directly onto the lenses. The device secured a score within the top five of a class of over 100 students, significantly surpassing the class average of 72.
“It really raises the question of how much knowledge students actually need to memorise for exams, versus whether we should allow them to use AI during assessment,” Professor Meng noted.
A global challenge
The issue is not confined to East Asia. Earlier this month, the head of England’s exam watchdog warned that AI glasses and earpieces could worsen cheating in the United Kingdom.
In China, authorities required the screening of all glasses for the annual “Gaokao” college entrance exam, which was attempted by over 10 million students this year.
Thomas Corbin, a lecturer at Deakin University in Australia, warned that reported cases may only be the tip of the iceberg. He likened the challenge of wearable AI to the disruption caused by ChatGPT to essays in 2022. “I just don’t think there is any real way that we can reliably have exam practices moving forward,” Corbin said.
Technological evolution
The market for these devices is expanding rapidly. US tech giant Meta, in collaboration with Ray-Ban, sold over seven million pairs of AI-enabled glasses last year alone. As designs become slimmer and less noticeable, they pose increasing risks to both exam integrity and privacy.
In response, South Korea’s college entrance exam administrator is discussing prevention measures with the Education Ministry, while the Taiwanese university involved in the recent cheating case is reviewing its standard operating procedures.
Despite the disruption, some experts argue against a total ban. Kong Siu Cheung, director of AI and Digital Competence Education Centre at Education University of Hong Kong, suggested that the focus should shift to developing students’ thinking capabilities and metacognition.
“We should use technology. We should use AI,” Professor Kong said, adding a critical caveat: “The bottom line is: don’t outsource your thinking capability”.
