Smartglasses are the newest exam cheating threat, and schools are scrambling to respond

To the surprise of no-one, students have been caught using smartglasses to cheat during exams.

The case currently making headlines is the first of its kind to take place in South Korea, and is particularly notable because it comes only weeks after the Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses launched in the region.

Cheaters wear smartglasses

Two students were caught by examiners wearing smartglasses with AI features after taking the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) exam.

A TOEIC official said in a statement:

At the start of the exam, we received a report from a proctor about a suspected test-taker wearing AI glasses. To avoid disturbing the test, we verified the facts after the exam and caught the offenders accordingly.

It’s not clear how the smartglasses were used during the exam, but it’s speculated the camera and either an in-lens display or built-in speakers were used in conjunction with the AI feature to help provide translations and answers to questions.

Cameras, speakers, microphones, and AI functionality are among the headline features on many smartglasses.

The exact models used during the exam have not been confirmed, with one report stating neither were officially available to buy in South Korea.

Although Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses have been available in the US, UK, and other regions for a while, the first Ray-Ban and Oakley models arrived in South Korea on May 25, 2026.

The students caught cheating have had their exam results invalidated, and have been banned from taking the TOEIC exam for four years.

Action against a growing global problem

In the US, the College Board banned the use of smartglasses during SAT tests starting in March 2026. Priscilla Rodriguez, a senior vice president at the College Board, said in an interview:

We have a really robust test security team here at College Board, coupled with an industry-leading technology team. So, between those two, they’re always looking out to say, ‘what could be next? What’s the next frontier if you’re trying to gain an advantage on this test? They were monitoring the pre-launch announcements of these kinds of glasses and gadgets well before they hit the market, so we were ready.

In the UK, smartglasses have been highlighted as a way for students to cheat on exams. A regulator for Ofqual said in an interview:

We're hearing stories -- and I hear this directly from schools as I go up and down the country -- of devices like supposedly hidden earpieces, smart glasses that play text covertly on the inside of the glasses that only the wearer can see, and even Biros that have got apparently invisible mini video screens built into them.

Meta has released its Meta Ray-Ban Display smartglasses which have both a screen and a camera in the US, but has held off launching them in the UK and other regions.

The Even Realities G2 do not have a camera, but do have a screen in the lenses. Samsung and Google will launch its first smartglasses equipped with a camera and AI later this year.

From problems at sporting events to the invasion of privacy on the streets, and now exam cheating, reputational problems continue to plague the technology.