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AI Smart Glasses for Hire Are Fueling Exam Cheating in China

Weak enforcement lets look-alike devices slip past exam bans.

Overview

  • Recent reports describe students renting AI smart glasses in China to scan test questions and see instant answers on the lens.
  • Listings on Xianyu advertise daily rentals for 40 to 80 yuan, and a Shenzhen seller says he rented to more than 1,000 people in four months.
  • China’s major exams ban these devices, yet proctors struggle to spot them because they resemble regular eyewear and can be triggered with a ring-style remote.
  • Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology linked Rokid glasses to GPT-5.2 and a student using them placed in the top five of a class of over 100.
  • IDC counts 2.5 million pairs shipped in 2025 and China now offers a purchase subsidy, yet users report heat, weight, short battery life, and stickers that hide recording lights.