Professor's invisible prompt trap catches 32/35 students cheating with AI
3 hours ago
- A professor embedded hidden white text in an assignment prompt, instructing AI to include nonsensical references to Madagascar.
- 32 out of 35 students across two classes copied the question into a chatbot and submitted the AI-generated output without reviewing it.
- The AI outputs contained bizarre phrases like 'Madagascar floats sideways through the afternoon' in essays about the Industrial Revolution.
- All students caught using AI failed that portion of the midterm, and only two of them contested the grade.
- The incident highlights the growing problem of students using AI to cheat, with teachers struggling to find effective countermeasures.