Recently, with the increasing use of AI smart glasses, a new challenge has emerged in the education sector. After it was found that students were using them to cheat in exams, various countries have begun to implement strict rules and bans. These glasses have been found to scan question papers, search for answers via AI bots, and display the answers directly on the lens.

According to news published in CNN and The Straits Times, two incidents of cheating in exams using AI smart glasses have come to light in South Korea. Since then, these glasses have been banned in examination centers. The Ministry of Education there has now prohibited such glasses in exams and increased surveillance. A South Korean YouTuber has even made and published a video demonstrating how to complete a difficult math entrance exam in just 18 minutes and score 96 marks using this technology.

A similar incident occurred in Taiwan. There, a student was caught during a medical college entrance exam after the frame of the glasses he was wearing became hot. CNN journalist John Liu has written a detailed report on how the problem of cheating through AI glasses is increasing in Asian countries that place a high emphasis on education and examinations.

At Waseda University in Japan, a student was found to have uploaded the question paper to social media via glasses and requested answers from an online tutor. At South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou, China, incidents of cheating in semester final exams with the help of smart glasses have also come to light.

Experts have said that these incidents have put significant pressure on the traditional examination system. Various countries have started to tighten measures to prevent such malpractices. Sherlyn Sim has reported in The Straits Times that China has begun special inspections of students wearing glasses during the university entrance exam, the Gaokao.

“In South Korea, AI smart glasses have been completely banned in exam halls, especially for the upcoming national-level college entrance exam (CSAT) on November 19, where these glasses will not be allowed,” journalist Sim wrote. “Teachers have been instructed to closely monitor students with thick frames or those who repeatedly touch their glasses during exams.”

Very strict rules have also been implemented for the Gaokao in China. Every examinee wearing glasses is now required to undergo a special inspection before entering the exam hall. Media outlets have reported that this rule has been implemented to prevent high-tech cheating using advanced electronic devices like smart glasses.

However, professors in Hong Kong have emphasized that rather than stopping technology, the methods of education and assessment should be changed. According to them, in order to prevent students from becoming overly dependent on AI, the education system should now focus on developing students’ thinking abilities and metacognition.

As concerns over privacy have increased, Meta has claimed to have added some security features to its smart glasses. According to Meta, if someone tries to record video by covering the recording light on the glasses, the camera will not function due to the installed technology. According to Business Standard journalist Namrata Kohli, although companies like Meta and EssilorLuxottica have marketed their AI smart glasses as fashionable, the challenge of preventing their misuse remains.