University Professors Expose Students Using AI to Send Fake Apologies After Cheating Scandal
At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, two professors uncovered an unusual twist in a cheating scandal when dozens of students, accused of academic dishonesty in an introductory data science course, sent nearly identical emails apologizing — only to discover those emails were generated by artificial intelligence.
The professors, Karle Flanagan and Wade Fagen-Ulmschneider—popularly known as the Data Science Duo among their students and social media followers—reported that they initially felt relieved at the wave of apologies. “They said, ‘Dear Professor Flanagan, I want to sincerely apologise’,” Flanagan recounted. “And I was like, Thank you. They’re owning up to it. They’re apologising. And then I got another email, the second email, and then the third. And then everybody sort of sincerely apologising, and suddenly it became a little less sincere.”
Upon investigation, the professors realized the emails were essentially identical, raising suspicions which led to the revelation that the apologies were written by AI tools rather than the students themselves.
The incident came into sharp focus during a large lecture on October 17, 2025, when the professors publicly displayed the copied AI-generated apologies on a projector screen, eliciting surprise and embarrassment among the students present. The professors shared the moment on social media, prompting widespread discussion about the role of AI in education and academic integrity.
Rather than exact punitive measures, Flanagan and Fagen-Ulmschneider decided to use the episode as a practical lesson on honesty and responsibility in academia, especially relevant as AI tools become more prevalent in classrooms worldwide.
One student, Bagdi, expressed personal disappointment at peers using AI to skirt accountability. He emphasized the importance of authentic engagement, questioning, “You’re not even coming to the class, and then you can’t even send a sincere email to the professor saying, ‘I apologise’?” and added, “Out of any class at the university, why skip that one?”
With machine learning technologies increasingly accessible, educational institutions struggle to balance leveraging new tools for learning against deterring misuse. This incident at the University of Illinois underscores the challenges faced by educators trying to maintain academic standards in an era of digital assistance.
The professors noted that despite the cheating, they never felt overwhelmed with student management and were committed to fostering student success in the course.
© 2025 The New York Times Company. This article was originally published by The New York Times and adapted based on reporting from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.