UK accounting body to halt remote exams amid AI cheating

AI, Accounting, and Gatekeeping

• Some argue accounting bodies are clinging to their gatekeeper role and revenue streams, even though AI will be used on the job anyway and may eventually erode the value of certificates.
• Others counter that accounting exams are “good gatekeeping”: they protect clients and create accountability, and AI is not yet reliably correct for real-world technical work.
• There’s disagreement on whether accounting is a true “value-adding” profession or mostly compliance theater, but several commenters note its deep historical and societal importance.

Effectiveness and Value of Certifications

• Certifications are seen by some as a response to a low‑trust environment; in an AI era they may become more important, not less, to prove real competence.
• Others view many certs (e.g., some tech certifications) as profit centers with weak correlation to real skill, easily gamed by memorizing leaked question banks.

Cheating: Before and After AI

• Cheating in exams long predates AI: solution manuals, fraternity “bibles,” organized answer selling, and even elaborate in‑person schemes (e.g., hidden earpieces).
• AI dramatically lowers the barrier: students can paste questions into LLMs and get worked solutions, or quickly generate flashcards and study guides.
• Some say this “democratizes” cheating (no longer only for the rich/connected); others see it as a serious erosion of academic integrity.

Remote vs In‑Person Exams

• Many believe remote proctoring is fundamentally weak: VMs, second devices, hidden cameras, and LLMs are hard to police.
• Returning to in‑person exams (often on paper) is widely seen as a necessary response, even though in‑person cheating (bathroom phones, covert devices) still exists but at higher risk and cost.

AI as Study Tool vs Crutch

• There’s a split between viewing AI as a legitimate study accelerator (e.g., generating Anki cards, clarifying bad lectures) versus a dangerous shortcut that bypasses real understanding.
• Several note the “temptation slope”: from using AI for study materials to having it do all homework, leaving students unprepared for in‑person exams or real work.

Purpose of Education and Assessment Design

• Debate over whether education should mirror “real-world work” and accept AI use if results are correct, versus preserving academia as a place for deep understanding, not just job training.
• Many advocate for heavier weighting of in‑person exams, well‑designed open‑book or oral assessments, and tasks that test conceptual grasp rather than pure memorization.
• There’s concern that a whole cohort may graduate with inflated grades but shallow skills before employers and institutions fully recalibrate.