When Gaokao Meets AI: The Governance Wisdom Behind Technology-Enabled Education
2026-06-17 07:00 Source: China.org.cn
In 2026, the number of candidates registered for the national college entrance examination (Gaokao) reached 12.9 million, remaining at the tens-of-millions level for many years. As the largest and most socially concerned national selection exam in China, the fairness and service quality of Gaokao directly affect the vital interests of hundreds of millions of families.
This year's Gaokao has built a full-cycle technological guarantee system: AI precise prevention before the exam, intelligent control during the exam, and convenient smart tools after the exam. Technology rigidity builds a fair bottom line, while digital flexibility improves service warmth. It responds to new challenges in exam management in the new technology era and carves out a practical path for technology-enabled education governance.
Before the exam, differentiated and time-phased control of AI platforms was implemented to block intelligent cheating channels at the source. This is an important upgrade in risk governance concepts. In response to new cheating risks derived from AI technology, relevant departments jointly carried out multiple special actions such as cracking down on mobile phone cheating and purifying the exam-related online environment. Major AI platforms actively implemented control requirements, temporarily restricting the use of exam-related functions such as photo-based question answering, exam paper analysis, and essay generation during the exam period, effectively blocking the cheating chain of exam paper leakage and remote answer transmission. Differentiated and time-phased precise control was implemented, while basic functions such as non-exam daily consultation and life Q&A were retained normally. This refined governance of "blocking without rigidity" balances risk prevention with the public service attributes of technology, reflecting the wisdom of flexible norms in high-risk scenarios.
During the exam, full-domain intelligent deployment strengthened the physical defense line of exam fairness, pushing exam supervision into a new era of "human-machine collaboration." Smart security gates were upgraded again, achieving millisecond-level precise identification of wireless communication devices such as mobile phones, smart watches, hidden earphones, and modified smart glasses. Mobile signal detection vehicles deployed around exam sites could locate and quickly block external cheating signal sources in real time, preventing internal and external collusion to transmit answers. The AI intelligent patrol system, equipped with high-definition cameras and sound source localization algorithms, could automatically identify violations such as candidates turning their heads beyond the standard angle and whispering. Snake-shaped robots patrolled high-voltage lines to accurately identify various safety hazards, ensuring the exam was free from power issues. A series of hard technologies not only blocked various cheating loopholes but also formed a monitoring mechanism of human-machine collaboration, full-domain sensing, real-time early warning, and closed-loop disposal, making exam fairness more stable and perceptible.
After the exam, the free and universal opening of intelligent volunteer application services extended exam fairness from the exam room to the enrollment level, helping to bridge the information gap in application. After the exam, the Ministry of Education launched the "Sunshine Volunteer" information service system, open to all 2026 candidates for free, integrating functions such as subject selection guidance, university inquiry, major inquiry, volunteer reference, psychological assessment, career prospects, and application guide. Major AI platforms also launched intelligent agents for Gaokao volunteer application, meeting common needs such as precise ranking matching, risk calculation of application submission, and interpretation of historical admission data. Candidates could obtain information through their mobile phones. In the past, the information gap caused by regional and information channel differences has been continuously bridged under the universal coverage of digital technology. This is both an extension of educational equity and the value of the public nature of digital technology.
The full-cycle technology protection practice of the 2026 Gaokao is not just an upgrade of exam management technology but a complete practical test of the digital transformation of China's education recruitment governance. From risk prevention before the exam, full-domain protection during the exam, to information universal benefit after the exam, the entire practice confirms the dual value of digital technology in both risk control and service optimization, providing a referable governance framework for the implementation of technology for good in the public domain.
First, the time-limited regulation mechanism provides a flexible solution for technology governance in high-risk scenarios. The collective shutdown of exam-related functions on AI platforms before the exam is essentially a social consensus and governance agreement reached by education authorities, technology platforms, and society in the face of this key event. It does not deny the value of technology itself but sets boundaries for technology application in specific times and scenarios, achieving risk prevention goals at minimal cost. This flexible governance approach can be extended to more high-risk application scenarios related to social fairness and public interest in the future.
Second, the human-machine collaboration mechanism clarifies the boundaries of technology empowerment and human support. The "intelligent initial screening + manual final review" model in the AI patrol system provides an operable solution for the boundary issue of technology application. The core of this mechanism is to clarify the tool positioning of technology: technology is responsible for efficient abnormality screening, while humans are responsible for final judgment and decision-making. The output of technology must be reviewed manually before it can be converted into decision-making basis. This gives full play to the efficiency advantages of technology while holding the humanistic bottom line, avoiding the deviation of technology supremacy.
Third, the universal openness mechanism interprets the people's livelihood background of technology application in the public domain. The volunteer application intelligent agent is open to all candidates for free, reflecting the social responsibility of technology platforms. Between commercial interests and social benefits, this choice itself is a powerful interpretation of the concept of "technology for good." In the future, in public service areas such as education, healthcare, and employment, more inclusive and open technology applications should be encouraged to let the dividends of technology benefit the public more evenly.
Fourth, the process transparency mechanism builds the trust foundation for AI-assisted decision-making. The volunteer application intelligent agent displays the decision-making process to users in full, following the "explainability principle" of technology application. In an era when AI is increasingly involved in important decision-making, "black box" algorithms are difficult to gain public trust, especially when it comes to major life events like Gaokao volunteer application. Users have the right to know the decision-making basis, compare different options, and retain the final choice. Adhering to algorithm transparency and process traceability should become the standard for AI-assisted decision-making services.
From a broader perspective, the technology protection practice of the 2026 Gaokao is a positive attempt by China to explore the benign interaction between technology and society. When more and more public service fields introduce similar mechanisms of technology for good, technology will no longer be a cold tool but a warm guardian, guarding fairness, guarding dreams, and guarding every life worth taking seriously.
(Author: Xing Wei, Director and Researcher of the Social Undertakings Research Office at the Institute of Social Development Research, National Development and Reform Commission)
Editors: Xing Yanru, Zhang Xiaowen, Jiang Xinyu, Zhang Yanling
[Responsible Editor: Shen Gang]
