Every June, more than 13 million students across China face one of the most life-defining tests they’ll ever take the Gaokao. It’s not just any exam. It’s the gateway to university, the future, and for many, a way out of socioeconomic limitation. So naturally, when students get desperate, they look for help and in 2025, that often means AI. But this year, things are different.
Big Chinese tech firms have taken a hard stance. They’re freezing AI tools to prevent cheating during the Gaokao, and that’s shaking up not just students, but the entire conversation around AI and education integrity in China.
Let’s dig into what’s really happening, why it matters, and what it tells us about AI’s growing influence on academic life.
What Is the Gaokao and Why Is It So Important?
Think of the Gaokao as China’s SAT on steroids but with way higher stakes. Held once a year, it determines whether students can attend college, which one, and often what career paths they’ll be able to pursue. For many students, families, and even communities, the Gaokao is everything.
- Over 13.3 million students sat for the Gaokao in 2025.
- It lasts four days, with highly complex questions on math, science, literature, and political theory.
- It’s considered one of the most competitive and stressful academic hurdles in the world.
Now imagine combining that pressure with the power of ChatGPT-like tools. You can see why regulators are worried.
The AI Crackdown: What Exactly Happened?
Here’s a breakdown of what’s going on:
| Tech Firm | AI Tool Affected | Action Taken | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|
| ByteDance | Doubao | Blocked question answering | During Gaokao hours |
| Tencent | Yuanbao | Disabled picture recognition | Exam period |
| Alibaba | Qwen | Disabled vision features | Exam period |
| Moonshot | Kimi | Suspended visual functions | Exam period |
| DeepSeek | DeepSeek AI | Limited access hours | Specific exam windows |
Students who tried to use these platforms to get quick help found themselves locked out. Messages from apps like Doubao clearly stated that question-answering services were suspended in compliance with exam rules. Even when users tried to argue back saying it wasn’t an actual exam question the AI responded with the same block.
Sources: The Guardian
Why Did China Take This Step?
The move isn’t random. Here’s the real why behind this crackdown:
1. Cheating Is a High-Stakes Risk
When AI tools can generate full essay responses or solve complex math in seconds, the temptation is enormous. Authorities worry about:
- Students using AI covertly via wearables
- Uploading live questions mid-exam for fast answers
- Gaining unfair advantages in real-time
2. Fairness and Integrity Are Core Values
China has been battling academic fraud for years. The AI boom brought new tools into that battle. Turning off AI tools during exams is seen as a necessary way to keep the playing field level.
3. China’s Broader AI Regulation Push
This is part of a bigger picture: China is increasingly regulating how AI is developed and used. Education is a sensitive area, and authorities are moving swiftly to set boundaries.
Explore more on China’s AI policy: China’s AI Governance Strategy – Brookings
Are These Tools Useful or Harmful in Education?
This is where it gets complicated. While the shutdown is meant to prevent cheating, students use AI tools for much more than that.
Helpful Use Cases:
- Explaining tough concepts
- Rewriting and summarizing notes
- Practicing problem-solving with feedback
- Language translation and grammar fixes
Misuse Risks:
- Copy-pasting answers
- Uploading test questions for answers
- Over-reliance leading to skill degradation
So, the debate is less about whether AI is good or bad and more about when and how it’s being used.
Questions People Are Asking
H2: Can students still access foreign AI tools like ChatGPT during Gaokao?
In theory, yes. But platforms like OpenAI are not easily accessible in China without VPNs. Some users mentioned returning to ChatGPT during the crackdown, but access remains inconsistent and monitored.
H2: Will this AI shutdown become a permanent policy?
So far, it’s only during Gaokao week. But given China’s increasing control over AI usage, we could see longer suspensions or even more advanced AI tracking in other test settings.
H2: How is AI being used to monitor students?
Ironically, while disabling AI to prevent cheating, Chinese authorities are using AI in surveillance:
- Cameras tracking eye movement
- Audio monitoring for whispering
- Behavior analysis for suspicious patterns
In places like Jiangxi province, exam footage is reviewed post-test for signs of misconduct.
The Students’ Reaction: Frustration and Sarcasm
Not everyone’s happy. Social media is full of students especially university students venting that they can’t use tools they rely on for legitimate study purposes.
One user joked on Weibo:
“Because of Gaokao kids, I can’t even upload a picture on DeepSeek. I hope you all end up at community college.”
While sarcastic, it reflects a bigger pain point students are now dependent on AI tools, and a sudden block is disruptive.
Real Impacts Beyond the Classroom
This crackdown didn’t stop at tech apps. It extended to every layer of life:
- Office hours were delayed to reduce traffic.
- Public events postponed to create a peaceful test environment.
- Priority traffic lanes created just for exam-takers.
This shows how deeply the Gaokao shapes Chinese society. And now, AI is part of that societal equation.
What Happens Next? Trends and Predictions
Here’s what’s likely coming soon:
- More integrated AI surveillance: Not just blocking tools, but monitoring for AI misuse.
- Selective AI access models: Platforms may allow use for verified educational purposes but restrict real-time Q&A.
- Localized AI regulation zones: Just like VPN access is restricted, AI access may get regional boundaries.
Summary: A Wake-Up Call for AI and Education
So, here’s the deal: The freeze on AI tools during China’s Gaokao exams isn’t just about stopping cheaters. It’s about drawing a line in a world where students now rely on artificial intelligence for everything from test prep to daily study help.
The keyword here and throughout this conversation is Chinese tech firms freeze AI tools in crackdown on exam cheats. It’s a sentence that captures a much bigger shift. AI is powerful, but unchecked use in sensitive environments like education can create new problems. China’s handling of the Gaokao shows the world what happens when governments step in to set limits.
And this won’t stop in 2025. Other countries are watching. Educators are paying attention. And students everywhere? They’re being forced to rethink how much they should rely on AI.
