Alibaba’s (NYSE:BABA) AI chatbots and rival platforms paused critical features during China’s annual gaokao college entrance exams to uphold test integrity and prevent cheating.
During the exam window from June 710, Alibaba disabled picture-recognition on its Qwen chatbot after receiving student-submitted test-paper images, while Tencent’s (TCEHY) Yuanbao and Moonshot’s Kimi likewise suspended photo-based queries. Gaokaoa multi-day exam taken by roughly 12 million studentstriggers nationwide digital restrictions, including app blackouts and internet curbs, reflecting authorities’ zero-tolerance stance on academic dishonesty.
Though ByteDance’s (BDNCE) Doubao initially kept photo recognition live, it later flagged uploaded images as not in compliance with rules. The moves underscore the balance Chinese tech giants must strike between offering cutting-edge AI services and adhering to government policies during high-stakes national events.
Investors saw a modest 1.2% bump in Alibaba shares on the news, with Tencent also trading higher amid confidence that regulators aren’t cracking down on AI broadly but expect companies to self-police sensitive periods. Looking ahead, the industry will monitor how quickly these platforms restore full functionality and whether authorities introduce formal guidelines for AI usage during exams.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.