From smart classrooms to surveillance concerns: Why China's Nanjing University rolled back AI feature

Nanjing University in China's Jiangsu province has removed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based classroom monitoring feature that measured students' attentiveness after the system triggered widespread criticism over privacy, biometric data collection and digital surveillance.

The university had upgraded its smart classroom system over the summer and recently informed students that it would use the technology to record complete attendance data over a one-week period, according to Chinese media reports.

However, the controversy escalated after screenshots allegedly showing the system in operation circulated online. The images displayed live classroom footage alongside real-time statistics, including the number of late arrivals, attendance figures and a metric known as the "head-up rate."

The screenshots went viral and sparked a debate over students' privacy rights, the ethical implications of algorithm-based monitoring and the growing use of artificial intelligence to track classroom activities.

The head-up rate, known as taitou lu in Chinese, measures whether students are paying attention during lectures. It is designed to identify whether students are looking toward the lecturer or are distracted by activities such as using mobile phones, laptops or falling asleep.

Facing mounting criticism, Nanjing University issued a clarification explaining the purpose and functioning of its smart classroom system. The university said the technology was introduced to monitor teaching quality and that facial recognition would not be used arbitrarily during classroom activities.

In a statement published on its official social media account, the university said the viral screenshot had been captured during a trial of the system at one of its campuses in May.

"Without authorization, our smart classroom system does not collect facial or other biometric data, nor does it conduct facial recognition during teaching applications," the university said, adding that the system "no longer calculates head-up rates."

According to reports by Chinese media outlets, including Jinan Daily, an official newspaper in neighboring Shandong province, the university activated the upgraded smart classroom system during the first week of November.

Nanjing University AI classroom system sparks privacy concerns

The controversy began after screenshots of the AI-powered classroom platform showed how it could display different monitoring statistics alongside live classroom footage.

While informing students about the system's introduction through group chats, some teachers reportedly warned that attendance records generated by the technology would directly affect students' grades.

They also cautioned that students could be prevented from appearing in course examinations if their attendance did not meet the required standards.

A previous tender notice published on Nanjing University's website revealed that the smart classroom project involved an investment of more than 30 million yuan (US$4.5 million).

The project covered equipment upgrades and the installation of new facilities in more than 100 classrooms and several public areas across one of the university's campuses.

The platform connects classroom cameras with built-in AI algorithms capable of facial recognition and crowd counting. These technologies allow university administrators to automate attendance recording, monitor classroom participation and assess student attentiveness through the head-up rate.

Some students told local media that they had not yet experienced any direct impact from the upgraded system. However, they expressed concerns about privacy and the use of automated technologies to regulate classroom behavior.

Students also questioned the absence of prior consent before the university introduced the monitoring system. They raised concerns that facial recognition technology could result in their biometric information being accessed or held by the university as well as private technology companies.

University faculty member defends classroom monitoring system

A faculty member at Nanjing University acknowledged that the new system had prompted reactions among students but offered a different perspective on its intended purpose.

"The students do have some reactions at the moment," a member of faculty at Nanjing University told the South China Morning Post on condition of anonymity.

The faculty member said the university's collection of such information was not primarily intended to monitor individual students. Instead, the system was "geared more towards supervising teachers' performance."

The source also expressed frustration over students' frequent use of mobile phones and other digital devices during lectures, arguing that such behavior affected the classroom environment and the teaching experience.

"It is deeply disrespectful to the lecturer," the staff member said.

In its clarification, the university outlined several objectives behind the smart classroom upgrade. These included improving audiovisual facilities, enabling live-streaming of courses, facilitating interaction between campuses and supporting lesson playback.

The system was also intended to enable the reuse of teaching-related data, allowing institutions to make use of information generated during classroom activities.

The university said the collection of attendance statistics was part of a midterm teaching inspection. The exercise was intended to use data to "support subsequent teaching reforms and course development."

AI surveillance in Chinese universities raises wider concerns

The controversy at Nanjing University comes amid growing concerns across China over the use of artificial intelligence to monitor academic performance and student behavior.

The increasing deployment of AI-powered monitoring technologies has raised questions about transparency, data protection and the extent to which educational institutions should use automated surveillance systems.

Hubei-based news outlet Jimu News also questioned the necessity and effectiveness of the university's smart classroom upgrades in an opinion article published on Wednesday.

The publication asked, "Where exactly is the 'smart' in these smart classrooms, and is it really necessary?"

The article argued that students should also have a voice in decisions involving the introduction of monitoring technologies on university campuses, rather than leaving such decisions exclusively to experts and institutional authorities.

It warned that "a lack of transparency will inevitably lead to suspicion and misunderstanding."

Concerns over AI-based surveillance are also extending beyond educational institutions. A Chinese legal scholar recently cautioned that incorporating artificial intelligence into a social rating system could turn the technology into a "large-scale surveillance tool."

The Jimu News author also highlighted the risks associated with rating systems that use big data and algorithms to convert people's everyday activities into measurable scores and indicators.

According to the article, such systems could encourage widespread surveillance while reinforcing a lack of transparency and potentially creating conditions for discrimination.

The debate surrounding Nanjing University's classroom monitoring system has therefore brought renewed attention to the challenges of introducing AI into education, particularly the need to balance institutional oversight and teaching quality with students' privacy rights and control over personal data.