Smart glasses spark privacy debate and exam cheating worries in South Korea

South Korean tech analysts and five leading AI models—ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok and DeepSeek—agree that privacy protection should be prioritized for emerging smart glasses, which combine AI and AR to deliver real‑time information and are being positioned as the next generation of smartphones. Concerns focus on built‑in cameras and sensors that could record faces, conversations and locations without consent, creating risks of data misuse, persistent surveillance and erosion of personal freedoms. Proposed safeguards include on‑device data processing, visible recording indicators, default disabling of capture in sensitive areas such as schools, hospitals and restrooms, and transparent disclosure of data collection and AI‑training use.

At the same time, South Korea’s education ministry has begun banning AI‑enabled glasses from exam venues after multiple incidents of cheating were uncovered in certification tests and TOEIC exams. Universities such as Seoul National University, Korea University and others are still formulating guidelines; some have introduced physical checks of thick‑framed glasses and monitoring of suspicious hand movements. Experts call for detection technologies, exam‑room recording, and a shift toward assessment methods that evaluate problem‑solving and creativity rather than rote memorisation, arguing that merely prohibiting the devices will not stop future cheating as the technology rapidly advances.