Latest news with #Kimi
News18
4 days ago
- News18
Lights Out For AI: China's Chatbots Go Dark To Keep College Entrance Exam Fair
Last Updated: The Gaokao, running from June 7 to 10 this year, is given by over 13.4 million students who are vying for limited university spots in China. China's artificial intelligence chatbots have temporarily hit the off switch on some key features, turning a little less smart for a very serious reason: preventing cheating during the massive Gaokao university entrance exams. Leading tech giants like Alibaba (with its Qwen bot), Tencent (Yuanbao), ByteDance (Doubao), and Moonshot (Kimi) are among those that have pulled the plug on their most popular AI tools' photo-recognition capabilities as authorities are making sure no student gets an unfair advantage during the high-stakes national tests. The Gaokao, running from June 7 to 10 this year, is given by over 13.4 million students who are vying for limited university spots in China. China has earlier also gone all out with anti-cheating measures, from banning electronic devices to flying surveillance drones. ByteDance's Doubao chatbot, a rival in the AI arena, reportedly still permits image uploads but refuses to answer any test-related queries, citing 'non-compliance with rules." Meanwhile, Alibaba's Qwen bot also reportedly refrains from analyzing test papers during exam hours. This temporary suspension aligns with a broader regulatory framework for generative AI in education that the Chinese Ministry of Education previously released. The guidelines specifically prohibit students from independently utilizing artificial intelligence tools that generate open-ended content within primary and secondary school systems. Instead, educators are encouraged to integrate AI as a supplementary tool to studies, rather than a replacement for human-led instruction. First Published: June 10, 2025, 21:33 IST
India Today
4 days ago
- Business
- India Today
China shuts down AI chatbots and tools across country as it holds college entrance exam
China AI companies have temporarily shut down AI chatbots, or a number of features in them, across the country. The shutdown, which is temporary, is reportedly due to gaokao exam that millions of students are trying so that they can get entry into a college. The Chinese authorities believe that AI tools can be used for cheating during gaokao exam and that has led to AI companies taking this step. advertisementAccording to Bloomberg, many AI companies have suspended their most widely used artificial intelligence tools. The list includes Alibaba's Qwen, Tencent's Yuanbao, ByteDance's Doubao, and Moonshot's Kimi. All these AI tools have switched off their photo-recognition capabilities while the national tests are is hosting the gaokao exam from June 7 to 10 this year. It is said to be the country's most important academic event, where more than 13.4 million students compete for a limited number of university seats, including for admissions in 147 universities as part of the Double First-Class Construction, with the results often determining their educational and professional futures. Given the high stakes, Chinese authorities have long implemented strict anti-cheating measures, from banning electronic devices in exam halls to deploying surveillance drones. But with the rise of generative AI, a new concern of potential cheating using AI tools, which are often smart, is rising. advertisementAccording to Bloomberg, AI tools like Yuanbao and Kimi are nowadays showing automated responses that explain their image-related features have been disabled 'to ensure the fairness of the college entrance examinations.' Meanwhile, Doubao, ByteDance's rival chatbot, reportedly still allows image uploads but refuses to answer test-related queries, citing non-compliance with rules. Qwen, Alibaba's bot, similarly refrains reportedly from analysing test papers during exam the Chinese Ministry of Education released a new framework to manage the integration of generative AI within its primary and secondary school systems. The guidelines prohibited students from independently using artificial intelligence tools that generate open-ended content. The government even asked educators to use AI to complement studies, not replace human-led Middle school students are allowed to study how AI content is structured, while high schoolers are allowed to engage in more advanced learning involving AI's underlying technologies. According to a report by China Daily, the 2025 directive, issued by the government's basic education teaching guidance committee, outlines how generative AI such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek can be integrated into primary and secondary education. The guidelines further put strong emphasis on ensuring ethical, age-appropriate use of these technologies, alongside safeguarding against risks like over-dependence, academic dishonesty, and privacy to officials these measures are designed to encourage responsible use of AI and ensure the tools support, not replace, teacher-led instruction in schools.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Chinese Tech Firms Freeze AI Tools In Crackdown On Exam Cheats
Multiple Chinese AI companies have temporarily suspended some of their chatbot functions to prevent students from cheating during the country's highly competitive university entrance exams. The four-day Gaokao exams, which began on June 7 and will run until June 10, are crucial for over 13.3 million students vying for limited spots at universities across the country. According to a Bloomberg report, popular AI chatbots disable photo-recognition features when they detect a document that seems to be an exam paper. Alibaba's Qwen, ByteDance's Doubao, DeepSeek, Moonshot's Kimi and Tencent's Yuanbao have all been temporarily suspended during exam hours. The increasing availability of chatbots has made it easier than ever for students around the world to cheat. When asked to explain the suspension, the Yuanbao and Kimi chatbots said the functions had been deactivated "to ensure the fairness of the college entrance examinations." DeepSeek is restricting its service during certain hours for the same reason, The Guardian reported. Doubao, owned by TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, said, "During the college entrance examination, according to relevant requirements, the question-answering service will be suspended". The suspension of AI chatbot features is just one of the measures taken to prevent cheating during the Gaokao exams. Several regions earlier mentioned that they would use AI monitoring techniques to detect "abnormal behaviours" such as whispers or repeated looks between students during exams. Footage from Jiangxi province will be evaluated after the exam, and any violations or misconduct will be dealt with strictly in accordance with relevant legislation, according to the state-backed Global Times. Chinese officials announced stronger entry inspections at test points, biometric identification, improved screening for digital devices, and radio signal blockers late last month, Chinese media reported. Also referred to as the National College Entrance Exam (NCEE), the gaokao exam is a multi-day test taken by millions of students, each fighting to secure one of the limited spots at universities.
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business Insider
China's tech firms block AI access during high-stakes college entrance exams
In China, one exam can decide your future, and this year, students weren't allowed any help from AI. As millions of high school seniors began sitting for China's notoriously grueling "gaokao" college entrance exam from Saturday, the country's biggest tech firms quietly pulled the plug on their AI tools. Apps from Tencent, ByteDance, and Moonshot AI disabled features like photo recognition and real-time question answering, a move aimed at preventing students from using chatbots to cheat during the high-stakes national exam. Last month, China's education ministry warned students not to rely on AI-generated answers for assignments or tests, even while promoting AI education from a young age. This year, about 13.4 million students are taking the "gaokao," which runs from Saturday to Tuesday, according to local media. Unlike the US college admissions process, which often considers essays, extracurriculars, various standardized exams, and school records, China's system leans almost entirely on this one test. For many students, especially those from rural or low-income backgrounds, the "gaokao" is a once-a-year shot at social mobility. That kind of pressure has fueled an arms race in test prep, from private tuition centers to after-school cram schools. But over the weekend and into this week, AI was off the table. Chinese chatbots go dark Screenshots posted by users on the Chinese app Rednote showed that popular AI chatbots like Tencent's YuanBao, ByteDance's Doubao, and Moonshot AI's Kimi had disabled exam-relevant features during testing hours. In one post on Sunday, a user who goes by "DKK" attempted to upload what appeared to be a test paper to Doubao. The chatbot immediately shut it down: "The image content is not compliant and the upload failed." In another screenshot posted on Monday, user "Gemini0612" asked Doubao for help with a question. The chatbot responded with a notice: "We are very sorry. In order to ensure the fairness of the college entrance examination, Doubao's Q&A function will be temporarily closed during the examination period and will be restored after the examination at 6.45 p.m. this afternoon. Thank you for your understanding and support, and wish all candidates good luck in the college entrance examination." Tencent's YuanBao replied with a similar message in another screenshot posted Monday: "Dear users, to ensure fairness in the college entrance examination, this function is not available during the college entrance examination period. Tencent's Yuanbao wishes all candidates success in the exam." Tencent's chatbot offers users a choice between its in-house Hunyuan model and DeepSeek's R1. The Shenzhen-based tech giant has integrated both models across its vast ecosystem, including WeChat, China's biggest social media app used by nearly 1.4 billion people. Moonshot AI's chatbot Kimi also locked down its photo-recognition and question-answering functions. In a Rednote post on Sunday, a user who said he is a college student uploaded a photo of a question and asked Kimi for help. The chatbot responded with another canned message about ensuring fairness during the college entrance examination period. The user pushed back: "I am not a college entrance examination candidate. The college entrance examination does not test this." But Kimi didn't budge. Tencent, ByteDance, and Moonshot AI did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. China wants students to learn AI — just not use it to cheat China is all in on AI education. In China's capital, Beijing, AI education is compulsory for students, including elementary schoolers. Starting this fall, schools in the city must provide at least eight hours of AI instruction per academic year, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission said in March. While the country is racing to build an AI-literate generation, regulators are also drawing a hard line, saying AI is for learning, not for shortcuts. By pulling the plug during the "gaokao," tech firms reinforced the message: AI has no place in the exam hall.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Alibaba, Tencent Freeze AI Photo Tools for Gaokao
Alibaba's (NYSE:BABA) AI chatbots and rival platforms paused critical features during China's annual gaokao college entrance exams to uphold test integrity and prevent cheating. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 3 Warning Signs with BABA. During the exam window from June 710, Alibaba disabled picture-recognition on its Qwen chatbot after receiving student-submitted test-paper images, while Tencent's (TCEHY) Yuanbao and Moonshot's Kimi likewise suspended photo-based queries. Gaokaoa multi-day exam taken by roughly 12 million studentstriggers nationwide digital restrictions, including app blackouts and internet curbs, reflecting authorities' zero-tolerance stance on academic dishonesty. Though ByteDance's (BDNCE) Doubao initially kept photo recognition live, it later flagged uploaded images as not in compliance with rules. The moves underscore the balance Chinese tech giants must strike between offering cutting-edge AI services and adhering to government policies during high-stakes national events. Investors saw a modest 1.2% bump in Alibaba shares on the news, with Tencent also trading higher amid confidence that regulators aren't cracking down on AI broadly but expect companies to self-police sensitive periods. Looking ahead, the industry will monitor how quickly these platforms restore full functionality and whether authorities introduce formal guidelines for AI usage during exams. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
