[Fact Check] Am I crawling with AI glasses?... High-scoring math problem ‘correct answer’ in seconds

Recently, as a series of test takers were caught wearing smart glasses equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) functions at university math essay test centers, concerns are growing about cheating in various tests using AI glasses (smart glasses).

Education authorities announced a plan to deploy AI glasses identification agents ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), but doubts about whether they can effectively block cheating and protect the fairness of the test remain.

For this reason, ideas such as 'install an ultrasonic cleaner and clean all glasses' and 'just block data communication or Wi-Fi' are also appearing online.

Accordingly, we looked into the current level of AI glasses and how to determine them through information technology (IT) experts.

◇ What is the performance level? “Solve even 4-point questions on the math section of the CSAT in just a few seconds.”

AI glasses are devices that can use various AI searches in real time while worn like regular glasses.

In addition to an ultra-small camera, speaker, and microphone, the glasses have a function to display a screen like a head-up display (HUD).

In the case of recently released AI glasses, AI experts say that it is not difficult to get a perfect score on the CSAT, and some say that the CSAT is actually at an easy level among exams.

Choi Byeong-ho, a professor at Korea University's Human Inspired AI Research Institute, said, "AI glasses ultimately play the role of solving problems with an AI model through the cloud and then relaying the results back to them. Considering the level of AI performance, you will get close to a perfect score on the CSAT."

Kim Si-ho, a professor at Yonsei University's Department of Advanced Convergence Engineering, also said, "If you solve the CSAT using the recently released ChatGPT-6 model, you will be able to solve all subjects in less than an hour." He added, "Currently, AI is at the level of superintelligence. Taking the CSAT is now easy."

In fact, on the 5th, at an optician's shop in Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, the Chinese-made AI glasses brand 'Rokid' was used to solve some of the high-scoring 4-point questions from last year's CSAT math section (calculus) question paper, and the result was an immediate answer within 10 seconds at the most. The answers given by AI glasses were confirmed to be correct for all 3 to 4 questions solved.

Within a few seconds of taking the picture of odd-numbered problem number 28 in the mathematics area (calculus), a notice that the correct answer was 'number 5' appeared on the glasses lens.

In the case of the previous chapter, which mainly contains low-scoring questions in the mathematics area because the problem length is relatively short and easy to solve, several questions were recognized at once, and the answers were presented all at once in just a few seconds. All of these were also correct.

Optometrist Kim Joo-hyung, who guided how to use it, said, "The performance is better than expected. I demonstrated it several times in the math area, and the correct answer comes out in just a few seconds."

However, when I printed the test paper on A4 paper and tested it, the font size was smaller than the actual test paper, so if the formula was complicated or there was a graph, it could not be recognized at once.

At this time, instructions such as “The screen is blurry so the answer cannot be confirmed” or “Please show the problem again” appeared. Accordingly, problems with some questions were recognized only after being filmed several times.

Optician Kim explained, “If you have little experience using AI glasses, it will be difficult to take pictures at the right angle at once, so practice is necessary.”

He also added that if you hold the question paper in your hand and take pictures instead of placing it on a fixed desk, it may not be recognized properly due to hand tremors.

◇ Various test sites were discovered one after another to improve performance… Universities and other efforts to prepare measures

Due to recent rapid advancements in performance, quite a few cases of cheating using AI glasses have already been discovered in testing centers.

According to the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, an organization that is entrusted with conducting various nationally recognized qualification tests, there have been a total of six cases of AI glasses detected this year.

One more case occurred recently, increasing from the five cases revealed in the government audit last month.

In the TOEIC test, one additional person was caught possessing or using AI glasses in June, following two people in May of this year.

On the 10th of last month, a test taker was caught wearing or possessing AI glasses at the Yonsei University Mathematical Essay Test Center and on the 3rd of the same month at the University of Seoul's Natural Science Department Mathematical Essay Test Center.

Accordingly, blocking AI glasses cheating has emerged as a new task among various test implementation organizations.

Yonsei University and the University of Seoul, where misconduct was discovered, both began strengthening management and supervision by increasing the number of supervisors.

A Yonsei University official said, “We are conducting verification efforts to the greatest extent possible, much more intensively than before.” The University of Seoul also announced that it has increased the number of supervisors by one to two, depending on the number of applicants.

Since the 25th of last month, the Human Resources Development Service has been separately deploying personnel dedicated to detecting AI glasses at the test site.

An official from the Corporation said, "We are not only providing separate training to supervisors, but we are also trying to detect AI glasses by using all auxiliary methods such as metal detectors and Bluetooth signal detection apps. We have recently deployed personnel who only detect AI glasses separately from the task of supervising tests."

As the performance of AI glasses is improving day by day, professional qualification tests are also starting to respond to AI glasses.

According to the legal community, the Ministry of Justice has decided to prepare and announce guidelines related to AI glasses ahead of the 16th bar exam to be held in January next year. It is known that some of the guidelines related to electronic devices used during the legal ethics exam conducted in August this year have been strengthened, and training on AI glasses models and how to use them is also planned to be strengthened.

◇ Solutions to 100 family disputes online… Experts suggest keeping a distance from smartphones and detecting abnormal behavior

Various ‘solutions’ are pouring in online.

These range from the idea of ​​disabling electronic devices by putting all test-takers' glasses in an ultrasonic cleaner before entering the test site, to the idea of ​​cutting off data communication and Wi-Fi throughout the test site.

However, experts pointed out that these plans are not realistic.

Some models have a certain degree of waterproofing effect, but there are no legal regulations to enforce this. Blocking radio waves has limitations in terms of cost and problems in response to emergencies.

Professor Kim Si-ho said, "Ultrasonic cleaners may not be effective, and because the implementing agencies rent test sites, it is difficult to install data communication and Wi-Fi blockers at the test site."

Professor Choi Byeong-ho also pointed out, "Washers may be effective, but if there are no legal regulations, it is difficult to enforce them. If done incorrectly, it can also be an invasion of privacy."

Park Sang-wook, head of the Physical Security Research Department at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), said, "There are actually cases where such cheating is prevented by using jammers at the test site to cause communication failures." However, Director Park added that, by law or institutionally, such jammers cannot be used in all test centers.

What about visual discrimination?

Experts believe that the models currently sold on the market can be distinguished with the naked eye.

Professor Choi said, "The glasses frame is equipped with a camera module, communication module, and battery, so it is thicker and heavier than other horn-rimmed glasses. It is not so much that it is uncomfortable for the wearer, but it is heavier than regular glasses," and advised that measuring weight can be a way to determine AI glasses.

An official from an optical store that sells AI glasses also said, "Some products are equipped with a display that projects images directly onto the camera and lens at the same time, but as these products become widely known, test proctors can now distinguish between them." He also added, "A test proctor even came by and looked around the AI ​​glasses."

The official added that the biggest feature is that when the lenses of the AI ​​glasses are viewed from a diagonal angle, the display looks like a rectangular thin film.

Experts advised as a countermeasure to keep the test taker's smartphone in a separate place to prevent it from linking with the AI ​​glasses.

The idea is to make it difficult to operate the glasses by physically dropping the smart device linked to the AI ​​glasses.

Professor Kim said, “AI glasses do not have their own intelligence, and ultimately, the smartphone connects with the AI ​​to receive information and then transmits it to the glasses through Bluetooth. You just need to place them so far away that Bluetooth does not work.”

Professor Choi also said, “If you collect the smartphone and put it in a bag or box that blocks radio waves, the AI ​​glasses will be neutralized.”

People wearing AI glasses have no choice but to behave differently than when wearing regular glasses, so paying close attention to this is one way to detect them.

There is also a method of installing closed-circuit (CC) TV in the test site that can detect facial changes or behavioral peculiarities.

Professor Choi said, “If you want to capture a specific problem with the camera on the frame or repeat the action of turning off the camera module due to a battery problem, you have no choice but to do something like touching the frame.”

Director Park said, “There is also a way to install an optical camera or CCTV at the test site to determine whether there is a camera in the glasses or whether the facial appearance has changed due to changing glasses.”

However, CCTV is regulated by the Personal Information Protection Act and can only be installed for limited purposes, making practical application difficult.

In addition, some point out that caution is necessary because touching the frame of the glasses is not necessary when using a Bluetooth remote control that is linked to the glasses.

For example, one AI glasses product that has been pointed out as being widely used in cheating is the Smart Ring, a wearable wireless controller that can be remotely controlled with just a finger operation. This smart ring is not currently officially sold in Korea, but can be purchased for around 30,000 won on overseas direct purchase sites.

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