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AI proctoring is not one standard technology, and it does not automatically prove that a student cheated. Depending on the platform and exam rules, it may check identity, restrict browser activity, record video or screen activity, or flag behavior for review. What is captured, how a flag is judged, and whether an alternative is available depend on the institution and the specific service.
What can AI proctoring see during an exam?
“AI proctoring” describes a range of remote-exam arrangements, not a fixed set of features. Published descriptions include lockdown browser modes, video and screen monitoring, analysis of local network traffic, webcam scans of a testing room, and eye-movement monitoring. A particular platform may use only some of these, and its configuration may differ by exam.
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A University of California report describes room scans intended to flag unauthorized materials or other people, as well as facial-recognition monitoring of eye movements. Those are examples from a specific institution’s use of a third-party tool, not evidence that every system watches students’ eyes or scans rooms. Check the exam notice and platform privacy information to learn what your session will capture.
Proctoring is not the same as AI-writing detection
Monitoring an exam session and deciding whether a written submission was generated by AI are different tasks. A proctoring tool may monitor activity during a test; that does not mean it can reliably identify AI-written work submitted in an assessment. Likewise, a flag about session activity is not by itself a finding of misconduct.
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Can AI proctoring detect cheating?
It may help verify identity or flag activity for a human reviewer, but the available evidence does not establish a universal detection rate for remote-proctoring products. A system’s flag should be understood as a signal to examine, not proof that misconduct occurred. Ask whether a person reviews flags, what evidence is considered, and how a student can correct an error or appeal a decision.
What the 94% finding actually measured
A 2024 blind study by Peter Scarfe, Kelly Watcham, Alasdair Clarke, and Etienne Roesch inserted fully AI-written submissions into five undergraduate psychology modules at the University of Reading. The authors reported that 94% of those AI-written submissions went undetected. They also reported that the submissions averaged half a grade boundary higher than real students’ work, and that across modules there was an 83.4% chance that AI submissions would outperform a random selection of the same number of real submissions.
These results concern AI-written coursework in that degree’s assessment setting. They are not an accuracy score for proctoring software, a measure of how often students cheat, or a prediction for every university. They do show why exam integrity cannot be reduced to assuming that AI-written work will be detected.
Supplier adoption figures are not university adoption rates
The e-Assessment Association’s 2024 supplier survey reported that 87.5% of surveyed suppliers used AI in online proctoring and 50% used it in candidate identity validation. Those percentages describe the surveyed suppliers, not the share of universities, students, or exams using these features. The report also said surveyed organizations often favored live or AI-supported review over full automation, citing trust, accuracy, and ethical concerns.
Is AI proctoring biased, invasive, or insecure?
Privacy, fairness, accessibility, and security are legitimate questions, but the cited evidence has limits: it covers particular students, institutions, or products rather than every current service.
Privacy and student experience
A 2021 study of student perceptions analyzed reviews and surveyed 102 participants. Participants raised concerns about both the amount of information they shared and its personal nature. This is a sample-based finding, not proof that all students object to proctoring or that every system collects the same data.
The University of California report offers a specific institutional example. It said webcam environment scanning represented approximately 3% of the third-party tool’s use and was later discontinued over privacy concerns. Facial-recognition eye monitoring also represented approximately 3% and was discontinued over privacy and accessibility concerns. The report said students received syllabus notice and could opt out in favor of live human proctoring. It recorded a decline from 1,000 exams during the pandemic to 100 in the report’s then-current school year, and said administrators were considering discontinuation in light of a stated cost of $7 per student per exam. These are dated details from one university report, not current prices or typical usage figures.
Security and facial-recognition concerns
A 2022 technical analysis examined four proctoring suites used in U.S. law-school and state attorney licensing exams. It reported that anti-cheating measures could be bypassed and identified user-security risks. The analysis also investigated whether facial-recognition classifiers flagged faces with certain skin tones differently. Its scope was those four suites and exam contexts; the page lists a May 2024 version, and the findings should not be generalized to every current university platform.
What is not established across platforms
The available evidence does not establish one retention period, a universal policy for access to recordings, or whether every vendor uses data for product training. Nor does it provide a representative, current measure of adoption across universities or a comparable product-by-product accuracy benchmark. The exam’s privacy notice and the institution’s policy are the relevant places to verify those details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can you refuse online proctoring?
There is no universal answer in the available evidence. A student’s options depend on the institution, the course, the exam rules, and any applicable accommodation process. A University of California report describes one arrangement that gave students notice and an opt-out to live human proctoring; that example does not create a general right to opt out elsewhere.
In England, Ofqual regulates qualifications rather than every university exam worldwide. Its approach, in place since April 2024, expects awarding organizations to support valid, reliable, and fair outcomes, with expert human involvement, quality assurance, and accountability. Ofqual says it has concerns about whether AI alone can establish that remote-assessment evidence is attributable to a learner. Its guidance states: “We recognise in our regulatory framework the high bar required to ensure that all remote assessment evidence can be trusted as attributable to each learner.”
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →A UK Parliamentary answer dated 8 July 2025 says universities are independent and autonomous bodies responsible for their own AI policies and steps to detect and prevent academic misconduct, including AI misuse. That is UK context, not a worldwide rule. In practice, consult the syllabus and contact the instructor or exam office early if you need an accommodation, have a privacy concern, or want to ask about an alternative.
What should you check before installing proctoring software?
Read the exam instructions before installing anything or buying equipment. Ask the institution or exam provider for the exact requirements and procedures:
- Monitoring: What does the service capture—video, audio, screen activity, identity material, room scans, or other information?
- Data handling: Who can access recordings or identity data, how long are they retained, and are they used for product training?
- Review and appeal: Does a human review a flag? How can you explain an innocent action, report a technical failure, or challenge a decision?
- Accessibility: How do you request an accommodation, and what should you do if a monitoring requirement creates a barrier?
- Setup: Which operating systems, browser settings, camera, microphone, network conditions, and room arrangements are required?
- Consequences and alternatives: What are the local exam rules, and is another arrangement available?
A webcam may be needed for some remote-proctoring workflows, but an external webcam is not a universal requirement. Confirm the exam’s hardware and software rules before purchasing an accessory; an unapproved device may not be suitable.
How to interpret a proctoring flag
A flag is a prompt for the process set by the institution, not a verdict on its own. If you are contacted about one, follow the school’s stated procedure and ask what activity was flagged, what evidence is being considered, who reviewed it, and how to submit an explanation or appeal. Keep any relevant exam instructions and records of technical problems, and request an accommodation through the institution’s process when needed.
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