AI can beat real university students in exams, study suggests

The 6% detection rate is likely to be an overestimate, according to the study, published in the journal Plos One.

“This is particularly worrying as AI submissions robustly gained higher grades than real student submissions,” it said.

“Thus, students could cheat undetected using AI – and in doing so, attain a better grade then those who did not cheat.”

Associate Prof Peter Scarfe and Prof Etienne Roesch, who led the study, said their findings should be a “wake-up call” for educators around the world.

Dr Scarfe said: “Many institutions have moved away from traditional exams to make assessment more inclusive.

“Our research shows it is of international importance to understand how AI will affect the integrity of educational assessments.

“We won’t necessarily go back fully to handwritten exams – but the global education sector will need to evolve in the face of AI.”