Creator of Controversial Image Reveals It Was Made by AI for HSC Exam

The creator of a controversial image that puzzled HSC students during their English exam has confirmed that the image was generated using artificial intelligence. This revelation follows a period of speculation from both students and educators regarding the origins of the image.

During the exam, conducted by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), students were presented with a striking image showing a clear river displayed on a laptop, which rested on a wooden bench alongside two smartphones and a coffee mug, all overlooking a similar river view. The purpose of this visual stimulus was to assist students in answering a question related to human experiences.

The image originated from Florian Schroeder, a professional specializing in AI, who shared it on the blogging platform Medium back in July of the previous year. In an interview, Schroeder confirmed the image's AI generation, expressing his delight that it was used in an Australian examination. "If the image is suitable for the exam, why not use it?" he remarked.

Schroeder utilized OpenAI's programs, including ChatGPT and DALL-E 2, to create the illustration through voice commands. The exam included a short answer question asking students to compare Schroeder's AI-generated image with an unrelated text about a farm, as part of the evaluation on how well they responded to the portrayal of human experiences.

Upon seeing the image, students quickly suspected its AI origins, citing unusual details such as the coffee mug's handle and intricate wires as indicators of AI involvement. Initially, NESA had refrained from confirming whether AI was used in the creation of the image.

Once informed that the image was indeed AI-generated, NESA reassured students, stating, "We want to remind students that they were evaluated based on their responses to the question, not the image's origin or how it was created." Therefore, students' grades would depend on their analysis rather than the stimuli's background.

Armin Chitizadeh, a lecturer at Sydney University and former head of the artificial intelligence course at UNSW, noted that while he sees no inherent issue in the image's usage for the exam, he raised concerns regarding the lack of attribution for AI-generated content. He suggested that analyzing AI output could serve as valuable preparation for students, as they will likely encounter similar content in the real world.

NESA reached out to Schroeder to get his approval to feature the image on their website for future analysis, but they have yet to receive a response.

According to NESA's academic policies, students who employ AI in their assessments without proper acknowledgment violate academic integrity, emphasizing that all work must be independently completed or correctly credited. All graduating students were required to complete an anti-plagiarism module which explained the ethical use of AI prior to starting the HSC process.

The second week of HSC examinations is set to commence on Monday, as thousands of students prepare for the advanced, standard, and extension two mathematics papers.

HSC, AI, education