Professor denounces mass AI fraud on an exam at Brown

4 days ago

Professor Roberto Serrano discovered mass cheating via AI in his advanced economics course at Brown University, with at least 50 students involved in the midterm exam.
University officials initially responded with silence, later calling it a 'wake-up call,' but Serrano argues for a public debate to defend academic integrity.
Serrano, a blind economist and game theory expert, adapted the course with take-home exams, which led to unusually high scores (average 96/100), signaling AI use.
After switching to an in-person final exam, the average score dropped to 48/100, and many high-scoring midterm students did not show up, providing overwhelming evidence of fraud.
The context includes a campus shooting that affected students and influenced Serrano's decision to offer take-home exams to ease anxiety, making the cheating incident more painful.
AI is changing traditions at elite universities, such as Princeton ending its honor code system, as cheating becomes easier and more tempting for students.
Serrano calls for addressing AI's impact openly to preserve higher education's credibility, warning against sweeping such issues under the rug.

Hasty Briefsbeta