Polls suggest the use of AI tools is common among Chinese university students. A November 2023 survey by state youth newspaper China Youth Daily showed that nearly 85 per cent of the 7,000-plus respondents have used AI tools.
Mr Zhang Hang, a student from Jinan University told the newspaper that he had used an AI tool to summarise an English text to Chinese.
He said he had used translation software to “speed up” his readings in English, but found that the translations provided did not “flow smoothly”, China Youth Daily reported.
As more universities take steps to weed out AI-generated content, some students are even resorting to AI tools to ensure their writing clears the checks, according to a report by Sixth Tone.
The online news site also reported that on lifestyle app Xiaohongshu, there were more than 10,000 posts sharing tips on reducing “AI detection rates”.
There were also services to lower AI detection rates on e-commerce platforms such as Taobao.
In August last year, state broadcaster CCTV reported that a draft law on academic degrees submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress included a ban on using AI to write dissertations.
The law, which was adopted on Apr 26, did not include mention of a ban on using AI to write dissertations.
Under it, an academic degree will be withheld or revoked if the recipient’s dissertation involves academic misconduct such as ghostwriting, plagiarism or falsification.
The law will take effect from Jan 1, 2025, according to state news agency Xinhua.
