The release of China’s college entrance exam (Gaokao) scores across 31 provinces and cities in China has led to a surge in demand for college application services. Over the past three days, more than 10 million students and parents accessed Quark’s platform, an AI-powered information service developed by Alibaba Group.

During this period, Quark’s large language model generated over 5 million college application reports. Notably, nearly half of this demand originated from third-tier cities and below, highlighting the widespread need for such tools beyond major urban centers.

On Wednesday, when several major provinces released their scores simultaneously, the system experienced a queue of over 10,000 users waiting for reports. This backlog was quickly alleviated after Quark expanded its computing resources, allowing for the generation of 2.5 million reports in a single day.

The platform’s “application report” tool enables students to input their exam scores and other relevant details, receiving free, personalized college application guidance. A study by a Tsinghua University research team indicated that the quality of these AI-generated reports is comparable to those created by human experts.

Quark’s data also showed a significant increase in the use of “deep search” for gathering application-related information. Students averaged four searches each, looking for answers regarding admission probabilities, alternative majors, and career prospects. This surge in usage underscores the growing reliance on AI-driven tools to navigate the complex and high-stakes college application process in China.

🔗 Source: AI Base

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ AI in education is creating digital divides while meeting growing demand

Quark’s service handling over 10 million students in just three days reflects the enormous demand for AI guidance, but research suggests these tools may exacerbate inequality.

Studies show a growing divide between students who can afford premium AI tools and those relying on free versions with limited capabilities, potentially creating disparities in application quality and outcomes 1.

The heavy usage from third-tier cities (nearly half of Quark’s users) suggests AI might be filling an access gap where human counseling resources are scarce, but questions remain about equitable access to the best versions of these tools.

Students across educational systems are increasingly requesting clearer institutional guidelines on appropriate AI use for academic purposes, suggesting Quark’s widespread adoption exists in a regulatory environment still catching up to technological change 2.

The fact that Quark needed to expand computing resources to handle demand highlights how quickly AI educational tools are being embraced, despite lingering concerns about quality and fairness.

2️⃣ Student reliance on AI guidance reflects anxiety about post-graduation prospects

The deep search behavior (four searches per student on average) seen in Quark’s usage data mirrors broader anxiety among students worldwide about their future career prospects in an AI-transformed economy.

Recent surveys found that 62% of graduating seniors internationally express specific worry about AI’s impact on their job prospects, with computer science majors showing the highest pessimism at 28% “very pessimistic” 3.

Recent Quark developments