TLDR: Yonsei University is facing a significant academic integrity crisis after widespread collective cheating, involving the use of AI tools like ChatGPT, was discovered in a large-scale, non-face-to-face midterm examination for a Natural Language Processing and ChatGPT course. The professor has announced zero scores for implicated students, and a student poll suggests over half of the 600-strong class may have been involved.
Yonsei University’s Sinchon Campus is currently embroiled in a major academic integrity scandal following the discovery of extensive collective cheating during a midterm examination. The incident occurred in a third-grade course on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and ChatGPT, which focuses on Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLM), with a substantial enrollment of 600 students.
The midterm exam, held non-face-to-face on October 15, required students to access an online site for multiple-choice questions and submit a video recording of their computer screens, hands, and faces throughout the test. However, numerous students reportedly exploited the remote format by manipulating camera angles to create blind spots or by running multiple programs simultaneously on their screens to facilitate cheating.
The most concerning aspect of the scandal is the alleged widespread use of artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT, to generate answers. A professor overseeing the course recently announced that “many cheating by students has been found” and declared that “all the scores of the midterms of the students who were caught ‘0 points'” would be processed. The professor also reportedly recommended a “self-made” (self-reporting) option for students.
The scale of the cheating is believed to be substantial. While the exact number of students involved remains unconfirmed, it is speculated that more than half of the class may have participated. This sentiment is echoed by a poll posted on the university’s “Everytime” community bulletin board, where out of 353 respondents (excluding non-training students), 190 admitted to “cheating,” while 163 opted for “undoing it themselves” (presumably confessing).
Student testimonies further highlight the prevalence of AI use. A 25-year-old student from the class told Yonhap News, “Most of them use ChatGPT to take the test,” adding, “If I don’t use it, it will be difficult to get credits.” Another student, who took the same class last semester, confessed, “Many friends, including myself, took the test by searching on AI.”
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This incident underscores the growing challenges universities face in maintaining academic honesty in the age of advanced AI tools, particularly in remote examination settings. The university is now tasked with addressing the widespread breach of integrity and reinforcing measures to prevent future occurrences.
