Alibaba and Tencent Suspend AI Chatbots to Safeguard China College Exam

What Happened

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd., two of China\’s tech giants, temporarily disabled key generative AI chatbot features during the country\’s national college entrance exam, known as the Gaokao. The companies took this measure to address government and public concerns that AI tools could be used by students to cheat or access unauthorized information during the high-stakes test period. These restrictions were enacted on major AI platforms, including Alibaba\’s Tongyi Qianwen and Tencent\’s Hunyuan, as millions of students sat for exams that often determine future prospects in China. The move highlights ongoing issues around AI misuse in academia and the need for stronger regulations.

Why It Matters

The decision by Alibaba and Tencent demonstrates how AI tools can present academic integrity risks if not properly managed, especially in high-pressure environments. This incident signals that stricter oversight and temporary suspensions may become common to safeguard critical societal events. Read more in our AI News Hub