August 3, 2026
The discussion comes as colleges and universities continue to grapple with AI’s growing role in the classroom.
A history professor at Alcorn State University is drawing national attention after a hidden prompt embedded in a summer midterm revealed that nearly every student across two classes relied on artificial intelligence to complete part of the assignment, Afrotech reports.
Dr. Jason Gibson, who teaches history at the Mississippi HBCU, said 32 of his 35 students failed a portion of their midterm after using AI to generate their responses without reviewing the final submissions.
The assignment asked students to compare the Industrial Revolution with the modern digital age. Unbeknownst to students, Gibson embedded the word “Madagascar” in white text within the essay prompt. Students who copied and pasted the instructions into an AI chatbot and submitted the generated responses without reviewing them unknowingly included the hidden word in their essays.
“Thirty-two of my 35 students between two classes failed a portion of their midterm because they all used AI to generate their entire response,” Gibson said in a TikTok video explaining the assignment. “Apparently, they didn’t proofread it.”
After grading the exams, Gibson showed students how the hidden text had been embedded in the prompt and invited anyone who believed they had been unfairly affected to appeal their grades.
One student’s score was later adjusted after she explained that her device’s dark mode prevented the hidden text from appearing on her screen, Gibson said.
While Gibson acknowledged that some instructors take satisfaction in catching students cheating, he said his goal was to encourage responsible AI use rather than punish students.
“I get no gratification out of seeing students fail,” he said. “It’s not my intent to see you fail.”
Gibson said the assignment was designed to demonstrate why AI-generated work should never be submitted without careful review.
“You would be amazed at the bizarre usage of the word ‘Madagascar’ that I saw in these students’ assignments,” he said. “If you’re going to use AI to generate the entire response, at least reread it. At least try to ensure that it makes a little bit of sense. Try to put it in your own words.”
Gibson’s videos have garnered millions of views across TikTok and other social media platforms, fueling debate over students’ reliance on AI and how colleges should respond.
@iamjasongibson I can’t make this stuff up. #professor #highereducation #college #midterm ♬ Piano famous song Chopin Deep deep clear beauty – RYOpianoforte
The discussion comes as colleges and universities continue to grapple with AI’s growing role in the classroom. According to a February 2026 College Board survey of more than 3,000 faculty members, 74% of respondents said students use AI to draft essays or papers, while 67% reported students use the technology to rewrite or paraphrase text. Nearly half estimated that at least 50% of their students rely on AI for writing assignments.
“Faculty are navigating this critical transition, as AI rapidly expands in higher education,” Dr. Jessica Howell, the College Board’s vice president of research, said in a statement. “This research shows that faculty have serious concerns about AI’s impact on critical thinking, original writing, and academic integrity.”
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