'Cause for anxiety' over AI being used by students to cheat, says exams regulator boss

Artificial intelligence software is not yet ready to mark GCSE and A-level papers, according to the chief regulator of the UK's independent exams watchdog.

And speaking to the House of Commons Education Select Committee on Tuesday, Sir Ian Bauckham, chief regulator of Ofqual, also said there was growing concern about students using AI to cheat in their coursework.

This was particularly a problem with subjects such as history and English A-levels, where extended writing coursework contributes up to 20% of the overall qualification, said Sir Ian.

Setting out Ofqual's position on AI in education, underlining both its potential benefits and risks, Sir Ian said that after visiting schools and colleges around the country, there was "cause for anxiety" among teachers.

He added that Ofqual was commissioning further work to understand how much the risk of potential cheating has already developed, and what might be done in future to safeguard integrity.

He said: "I've signalled my anxiety, particularly about A-levels, history and English, to the Department for Education because of the need for extended writing coursework."

The regulator pointed to a series of possible steps which could reduce malpractice, such as asking students to present the same information in different formats, or requiring detailed teacher-signed disclosures about how work was completed. None, however, would completely eliminate risk, he said.

He also added that the technology "still makes mistakes", making it unsuitable as the primary assessor of exam papers.

But Sir Ian did say there were "lots and lots of opportunities" for artificial intelligence to help exam boards and awarding bodies before the stage at which students sit exams, for example with exam paper quality assurance and comparing question papers year-on-year to maintain standards.

"That work can make qualifications more secure and less error-prone," he told MPs, reflecting a broadly positive view on using AI to improve efficiency and cut costs in the system.

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Transparency was another concern, with Sir Ian saying students taking important exams should be able to ask why a particular mark was given.

He also warned the current appeals system, which allows students to challenge decisions and request a second human review, would be "complex and difficult" to administer, if AI had been the primary marker.

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