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Student arrested for using homemade AI gadget to whisper test answers in his ear

Published Jun 22nd, 2024 9:01AM EDT
close-up of student taking test
Image: arrowsmith2 / Adobe

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A student in Turkey is facing jail time after using a homebrew AI device to cheat on a test. The student was caught using the device at a school in the southwestern province of Isparta while taking the country’s basic aptitude test, according to Reuters.

This isn’t the first time that AI has been used to cheat on schoolwork, of course. We’ve seen a lot of concerns over the use of AI, including the very popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, to cheat on homework, tests, and other work in the past couple of years.

However, this time is notable because the person using the homebrew AI device was actually arrested. That makes it one of the first times that we’ve seen the user receive some kind of judicial punishment for their actions.

According to the Turkish police involved with the arrest, the homebrew device is actually somewhat complex. It involves a button camera, which the AI system can use to look at the questions that are on the test. This is then passed through to the voice agent on the user’s phone, where it is transmitted to an earpiece that the student was wearing.

According to the reports, the homebrew AI device was powered by a small modem or router situated in the student’s shoe. Another student was also arrested in relation to the cheating, though it hasn’t been shared publicly exactly how involved that student was or what kind of punishment they’ll receive.

The police say that the student was only caught because they appeared to be acting suspiciously. Because of this, the student was detained and searched, revealing the homebrew device and its various components.

Considering ChatGPT can pass exams from law and business school, it isn’t exactly all that surprisingly to see someone using it to try to get ahead on their aptitude tests.

Josh Hawkins has been writing for over a decade, covering science, gaming, and tech culture. He also is a top-rated product reviewer with experience in extensively researched product comparisons, headphones, and gaming devices.

Whenever he isn’t busy writing about tech or gadgets, he can usually be found enjoying a new world in a video game, or tinkering with something on his computer.

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