Chinese AI chatbots pause photo-recognition to block cheating during gaokao exams
Alibaba’s Qwen, ByteDance’s Doubao, Tencent’s Yuanbao, and others have disabled or suspended photo recognition features during China’s nationwide college entrance exams, Bloomberg reports. The AI tools won’t respond to test paper images or any exam-related queries during the multi-day gaokao tests from June 7-10.
This crackdown targets cheating risks amid China’s fiercest academic competition. Over 13.3 million students sit these exams to win scarce university spots. Phones and laptops are already banned in exam halls. Now, AI chatbots are going offline or scaling back services as an extra anti-cheat measure. 
Tencent’s Yuanbao and Moonshot’s Kimi outright suspended photo recognition during exam hours. Others, including DeepSeek AI, block services to “ensure fairness” according to The Guardian. No official company announcements have been made; the news surfaced from Chinese students on Weibo.
Bloomberg reports chatbots explained the suspension as follows:
“to ensure the fairness of the college entrance examinations.”
The move follows global concerns over AI-assisted cheating. US schools are returning to paper tests to counter AI help, with The Wall Street Journal noting a spike in blue book sales at universities.
Chinese AI companies are locking down tools amid exam pressure. The gaokao remains the only path to college admission, making cheating controls a top priority.
