Artificial Intelligence
Researchers Find Little Evidence of Cheating with Online, Unsupervised Exams


Students work on laptops above “Gene Pool,” a tile mosaic by Andrew Leicester inside the Molecular Biology Building at Iowa State University.
« Researchers Find Little Evidence of Cheating with Online, Unsupervised Exams
Newswise — AMES, IA — When Iowa State University switched from in-person to remote learning halfway through the spring semester of 2020, psychology professor Jason Chan was worried. Would unsupervised, online exams unleash rampant cheating?
His initial reaction flipped to surprise as test results rolled in. Individual student scores were slightly higher but consistent with their results from in-person, proctored exams. Those receiving B’s before the COVID-19 lockdown were still pulling in B’s when the tests were online and unsupervised. This pattern held true for students up and down the grading scale.
“The fact that the student rankings stayed mostly the same regardless of whether they were taking in-person or online exams indicated that cheating was either not prevalent or that it was ineffective at significantly boosting scores,” says Chan.
To know if this was happening at a broader level, Chan and Dahwi Ahn, a Ph.D. candidate in psychology, analyzed test score data from nearly 2,000 students across 18 classes during the spring 2020 semester. Their sample ranged from large, lecture-style courses with high enrollment, like introduction to statistics, to advanced courses in engineering and veterinary medicine.
Across different academic disciplines, class sizes, course levels and test styles (i.e., predominantly multiple choice or short answer), the researchers found the same results. Unsupervised, online exams produced scores very similar to in-person, proctored exams, indicating they can provide a valid and reliable assessment of student learning.
The research findings were recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“Before conducting this research, I had doubts about online and unproctored exams, and I was quite hesitant to use them if there was an option to have them in-person. But after seeing the data, I feel more confident and hope other instructors will, as well,” says Ahn.
Both researchers say they’ve continued to give exams online, even for in-person classes. Chan says this format provides more flexibility for students who have part-time jobs or travel for sports and extra-curriculars. It also expands options for teaching remote classes. Ahn led her first online course over the summer.
Why might cheating have had a minimal effect on test scores?
The researchers say students more likely to cheat might be underperforming in the class and anxious about failing. Perhaps they’ve skipped lectures, fallen behind with studying or feel uncomfortable asking for help. Even with the option of searching Google during an unmonitored exam, students may struggle to find the correct answer if they don’t understand the content. In their paper, the researchers point to evidence from previous studies comparing test scores from open-book and close-book exams.
Another factor that may deter cheating is academic integrity or a sense of fairness, something many students value, says Chan. Those who have studied hard and take pride in their grades may be more inclined to protect their exam answers from students they view as freeloaders.
Still, the researchers say instructors should be aware of potential weak spots with unsupervised, online exams. For example, some platforms have the option of showing students the correct answer immediately after they select a multiple-choice option. This makes it much easier for students to share answers in a group text.
To counter this and other forms of cheating, instructors can:
- Wait to release exam answers until the test window closes.
- Use larger, randomized question banks.
- Add more options in multiple-choice questions and making the right choice less obvious.
- Adjust grade cutoffs.
COVID-19 and ChatGPT
Chan and Ahn say the spring 2020 semester provided a unique opportunity to research the validity of online exams for student evaluations. However, there were some limitations. For example, it wasn’t clear what role stress and other COVID-19-related impacts may have played on students, faculty and teaching assistants. Perhaps instructors were more lenient with grading or gave longer windows of time to complete exams.
The researchers said another limitation was not knowing if the 18 classes in the sample normally get easier or harder as the semester progresses. In an ideal experiment, half of the students would have taken online exams for the first half of the semester and in-person exams for the second half.
They attempted to account for these two concerns by looking at older test score data from a subset of the 18 classes during semesters when they were fully in-person. The researchers found the distribution of grades in each class was consistent with the spring 2020 semester and concluded that the materials covered in the first and second halves of the semester did not differ in their difficulty.
At the time of data collection for this study, ChatGPT wasn’t available to students. But the researchers acknowledge AI writing tools are a gamechanger in education and could make it much harder for instructors to evaluate their students. Understanding how instructors should approach online exams with the advent of ChatGPT is something Ahn intends to research.
The study was supported by a National Science Foundation Science of Learning and Augmented Intelligence Grant.
Journal Link: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Source: Iowa State University
Artificial Intelligence
Humane Launches Ai Pin – Marking A New Beginning for Personal AI Devices
SAN FRANCISCO /PRNewswire/ — Today, Humane Inc fully unveils Ai Pin: the first wearable device and software platform built to harness the full power of artificial intelligence (AI). Ai Pin marks a new beginning for personal consumer technology, offering users the ability to take AI with them everywhere in an entirely new, conversational and screenless form factor. Ai Pin will be available to order in the US from November 16th, starting at $699 for the complete system.
Reimagining interaction
Ai Pin redefines how we interact with AI. Speak to it naturally, use the intuitive touchpad, hold up objects, use gestures, or interact via the pioneering Laser Ink Display projected onto your palm. The unique, screenless user interface is designed to blend into the background, while bringing the power of AI to you in multi-modal and seamless ways.
Seamless integration
Ai Pin effortlessly integrates into your daily routine and elevates your interactions with the world around you.
Designed to handle the simple and the complex, Ai Mic supercharges search and quickly finds and contextualizes what you’re looking for. AI-powered messaging can craft messages in your tone of voice, while the Catch Me Up function sorts through the noise of your inbox. New AI-driven music experiences come to life through a partnership with TIDAL* and the AI-powered photographer helps you capture and recall important memories.
Among a growing list of capabilities, Ai Pin can also act as your foreign language interpreter and support your nutrition goals by identifying food using computer vision. As the device and platform evolves with future updates, so do the possibilities it unlocks.
Cosmos: An all-new operating system for the AI era
Cosmos is Humane’s operating system for the AI era, blending intelligent technologies with intuitive interaction and advanced security. An entirely new AI software framework, the Ai Bus, brings Ai Pin to life and removes the need to download, manage, or launch apps. Instead, it quickly understands what you need, connecting you to the right AI experience or service instantly.
Perpetual power – and style
Ai Pin comes in three color options – Eclipse, Equinox, and Lunar – and boasts a unique two-piece design, consisting of the main computer and a battery booster. These are connected magnetically and power wirelessly through clothing and apparel, enabling you to wear Ai Pin in a variety of ways. With its perpetual power system, users can hot swap the battery booster on-the-go, ensuring uninterrupted usage and all-day battery life.
Packed with cutting-edge technology
Despite its compact size, Ai Pin is a powerhouse of new technology. It runs on a Snapdragon®™ processor with a dedicated Qualcomm® AI Engine, enabling the fast and reliable performance needed for AI interactions. Ai Pin is equipped with an ultra-wide RGB camera, depth sensor and motion sensors, allowing the device to see the world as you see it. A unique, personic speaker creates a bubble of sound, offering both intimacy and volume as needed, while Ai Pin can also pair with headphones via Bluetooth.
Privacy at its core
Privacy and transparency are paramount with Ai Pin. The device only activates upon user engagement and does not employ ‘wake words’, ensuring it is not always listening or recording. Ai Pin features a prominent Trust Light which indicates when any sensors are active, which is managed via a dedicated privacy chip. If compromised, Ai Pin will shut down and require professional service from Humane.
Centralized control with Humane.center
To manage and access your data, including photos, videos, and notes, Ai Pin connects to Humane.center. This platform serves as a central hub for your device, ensuring a streamlined interaction from setup to daily use. Upon purchasing Ai Pin, users are invited to onboard via a privacy-protected portal, allowing the device to tailor its services to individual preferences.
Unique collaborations
Humane’s unique collaborations with Microsoft and OpenAI give Ai Pin access to some of the world’s most powerful AI models and platforms and set the foundation for new capabilities to be added as the technology evolves. Ai Pin is a standalone device and does not need to be paired with a smartphone or other companion device. To provide wireless service for Ai Pin, Humane is launching its own MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) connected by its exclusive U.S. partner, T-Mobile.
Pricing and comprehensive subscription plan
Ai Pin is available starting at $699 for the complete system. This includes the device, two battery boosters, a charge pad, a charge case, a cable and an adapter. For $24 per month, the Humane Subscription includes a dedicated cell phone number for your Ai Pin and unlimited talk, text, and data. This subscription also comes with cloud storage and full access to Humane’s growing suite of Ai-powered services with no limits on the number of queries you can pose.
The device for an AI-powered future
Humane is committed to building a future where AI seamlessly integrates into every aspect of our lives and enhances our daily experiences. The launch of Ai Pin marks the beginning of this journey and the start of an exciting new chapter in AI-powered, personal technology.
Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, Co-Founders, Humane: Ai Pin is the embodiment of our vision to integrate AI into the fabric of daily life, enhancing our capabilities without overshadowing our humanity. We are proud to finally unveil what we and the team at Humane have been working on for the past four years. For us, Ai Pin is just the beginning.
Sam Altman, CEO, OpenAI: We believe in a future where artificial intelligence amplifies human potential, and Humane shares this vision. We’re proud to be partnering with them to harness AI and redefine how we interact with technology — and the world.
Eric Boyd, CVP AI Platform, Microsoft: Our collaboration with Humane embodies Azure’s dedication to empowering transformative ideas. Humane’s innovative approach to technology aligns perfectly with our mission to enable and support game-changing solutions.
John Saw, EVP and Chief Technology Officer, T-Mobile: At T-Mobile we work to be the best in the world at connecting customers to their world, and this Ai Pin is a huge step towards a more connected, AI-informed future. We are thrilled that our network is enabling this new Ai-first experience that Humane is building.
Jeffrey Torrance, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Connected Smart Systems Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.: Our journey with Humane reflects our commitment to pioneering technologies that redefine the boundaries of innovation. Snapdragon powers devices that are intuitively woven into the fabric of daily life. Our collaboration with Humane exemplifies a shared dedication of bringing AI with you everywhere through intelligent, superior computing.
Jesse Dorogusker, CEO, TIDAL: At TIDAL we want to raise the bar of listening experiences for fans and are delighted to be the first music platform to integrate with Humane’s Ai Pin. We’ve partnered with Humane to introduce a seamless way for fans to engage with music wherever they are. Customers can use their Ai pin to play music based on their context, and find the right TIDAL tracks to enhance the moment.
About Humane:
Founded by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno in 2019, Humane is creating the technologies and platforms for the intelligence age. Their first product, the Humane Ai Pin, enables the consumer to take the power of AI with them everywhere. They have partnered with Microsoft, OpenAI, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and T-Mobile in their mission to deliver the next era of personal mobile computing, which will be one driven by AI. For more information, please visit: hu.ma.ne
Qualcomm and Snapdragon are trademarks or registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
*TIDAL use requires a HiFi subscription.
Humane Press Contact: Ella Geraerdts – Erlam & Co ([email protected])
SOURCE Humane Inc.
art, culture and humanities
Think Diffusion Revolutionizes AI Art With Comprehensive Stable Diffusion Platforms
HOUSTON (Newswire.com) – Think Diffusion, a leader in AI art technology, is proud to offer a comprehensive suite of Stable Diffusion interfaces for professionals, all in private and dedicated managed workspaces in the cloud. Among these, Automatic1111 (Auto1111) stands out as the most popular and powerful UI in the Stable Diffusion ecosystem. It harnesses SD’s full capabilities, integrating thousands of extensions, models, LoRAs, and Textual Inversions from open source sites like Civitai and HuggingFace.


We provide a premium and dedicated cloud experience for the world’s most powerful AI image tools in the world.
Auto1111, complemented by ComfyUI, Kohya, and Fooocus, forms a full suite of interfaces catering to all skill levels and goals. These interfaces provide multiple ways to tap into Stable Diffusion’s bleeding-edge capabilities for creating stunning AI imagery and animations.
A Suite of Interfaces for Every Creator
- Automatic1111: The go-to interface for professionals. It offers a vast plugin ecosystem with preinstalled extensions like ADetailer, ReActor faceswap, ControlNet, and many more. Users can create videos using tools like AnimateDiff, Deforum and Wav2Lip Studio.
- ComfyUI: This interface features a flowchart/node-based system, ideal for designing complex workflows. It’s optimized for flexibility and repeatable creative processes.
- Kohya: Perfect for model creators, Kohya allows quick training and fine-tuning of models and LoRAs. It’s specialized in creating style-specific enhancements and embeddings.
- Fooocus: Simplifying art generation, Fooocus lets users prompt and generate art in seconds, ideal for those seeking an easy-to-use, less technical interface.
Introducing TD-XL: A New Standard in AI Art Models
Think Diffusion introduces TD-XL, a new AI art model emphasizing realism and performance. Trained for over 750 hours with meticulous hand-captioning, TD-XL surpasses other models in detail and quality. It’s designed for ease of use, requiring no additional refinements, and is available in the Safetensors format for safety.
Advanced Features and Accessibility
Think Diffusion offers the best cloud experience for Stable Diffusion:
- Simplifies the creative process with no need for expensive hardware or complex installations.
- Run powerful workflows with one-click model uploads and the freedom to install any extensions.
- Offers up to 200GB of personal storage in a private workspace.
- Get a dedicated GPU for every browser window, and run multiple tasks without interruptions.
Think Diffusion’s platform empowers users to run multiple machines simultaneously, each with a unique UI. From model training to experimenting with new workflows, everything is possible even from your phone. The platform is preloaded with popular extensions and models, providing unparalleled flexibility and creativity.
About Think Diffusion
Think Diffusion sets a new standard in AI art creation, providing creative professionals with unparalleled tools and capabilities. Our advanced platform offers an array of features that give users a significant competitive edge in the digital art space. Our commitment to democratizing high-end AI art tools ensures that our users are always at the forefront of innovation.
For more information, visit http://thinkdiffusion.ai
Source: Think Diffusion Inc.
Artificial Intelligence
STEPIN, the K-Pop Dance AI Platform, Launches in Over 170 Countries Worldwide
SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Sidewalk Entertainment, an AI startup company based in Seoul, South Korea, has officially launched their K-Pop dance AI platform, STEPIN, across more than 170 countries worldwide, marking their significant entry into the international market.


STEPIN is a K-Pop dance platform that utilizes real-time motion tracking AI technology. Users can play by selecting between Practice and Challenge modes, and the platform offers functions such as dance learning, dance scoring and motion analysis replays. By integrating social media and gaming, the app allows users indulge in K-Pop dance anytime and anywhere.
One of STEPIN’s highlighted features is its scoring through precise movement analysis, which allows users to compete in real-time rankings through scoring. STEPIN sets itself apart from conventional dance games with its ability to accurately track movements using just a smartphone, without the need for any supplementary equipment.
After its initial service launch in Southeast Asia last September, STEPIN’s functionality has been consistently improved based on feedback from local users. And for its global users, the platform now supports nine languages, including English, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, and Indonesian.
STEPIN participated as an official sponsor partner in Mnet’s dance competition show ‘Street Woman Fighter 2’. In the final episode aired on Oct 31, members of the Mannequeen crew were seen enjoying the dance score competition on STEPIN. Following the exposure, the app’s download rate has surged by more than 184%.
Kibong Kook, CEO of Sidewalk Entertainment, stated that “STEPIN is a new form of service that applies advanced AI technology to K-Pop dance. With features like scoring and rankings, the enjoyment and fun of K-Pop dance is drastically elevated. We aim to establish a novel trend for a new wave in the worldwide K-pop scene.”
Kibong Kook is a first-generation pro-gamer who played a pivotal role in the early dates of Korea’s esports industry, and he has founded Sidewalk Entertainment as an AI technology-driven startup.
At the moment, STEPIN is hosting the ‘Chili’ dance challenge event within the app, and plans to continuously engage with users around the globe through various events and content in the future.
Company Name: Sidewalk Entertainment
Company Website: https://www.sidewalkplay.com/en
Service Website: https://stepin.ai/
SOURCE Sidewalk Entertainment
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