Ivy League professor suspected students used AI to cheat on take-home…

What was claimed

Ivy League professor suspected students used AI to cheat on take-home midterm, so switched to in-person final and saw average scores plunge from 96 to 48

Our verdict

Accurate

Reports on Brown University economics professor Roberto Serrano state he suspected mass AI cheating on a take-home, closed-book midterm after seeing unusually high scores and ChatGPT-like phrasing, then made the final in-person and warned it could override the midterm grades. These sources also state the midterm average was 96/100 and the in-person final average dropped to 48/100, matching the described plunge.

All 3 AI systems agree9 sources citedChecked Jul 9, 2026

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Key findings

An Ivy League professor suspected students used AI to cheat on a take-home midterm, switched to an in-person final, and average scores fell from 96 to 48.

Verified96%

All 3 AIs agree

Professor switched to in-person final

Verified99%

1 AI checked

Average scores plunged from 96 to 48

Verified99%

1 AI checked

Verified against 9 sources

Detailed Analysis

The response accurately reflects reported facts from multiple news sources. The key numerical details and description of the professor’s suspicions and exam changes are directly confirmed by recent coverage of the Brown University case.

Why this verdict

The response accurately reflects reported facts from multiple news sources.
The key numerical details and description of the professor’s suspicions and exam changes are directly confirmed by recent coverage of the Brown University case.

Claims checked

Ivy League professor suspected students used AI to cheat on take-home midterm, so switched to in-person final and saw average scores plunge from 96 to 48

Verified95%

Reports on Brown University economics professor Roberto Serrano state he suspected mass AI cheating on a take-home, closed-book midterm after seeing unusually high scores and ChatGPT-like phrasing, then made the final in-person and warned it could override the midterm grades.[1] [2] [3] These sources also state the midterm average was 96/100 and the in-person final average dropped to 48/100, matching the described plunge.[1] [2] [3]

What other AI think

The claim is factually accurate and well-supported by multiple credible sources from June-July 2026. All key details—the Ivy League professor (Roberto Serrano at Brown University), the suspected AI cheating on take-home midterm, the switch to in-person final, and the dramatic score drop from 96 to 48—are confirmed by recent reporting.

Why this verdict

The claim is factually accurate and well-supported by multiple credible sources from June-July 2026.
All key details—the Ivy League professor (Roberto Serrano at Brown University), the suspected AI cheating on take-home midterm, the switch to in-person final, and the dramatic score drop from 96 to 48—are confirmed by recent reporting.

Claims checked

Ivy League professor suspected students used AI to cheat on take-home midterm

Verified98%

Brown University economics professor Roberto Serrano detected what he believes was mass AI fraud in ECON 1170, an advanced undergraduate mathematical economics course. Some answers contained unusual passages that coincided with results obtained after running the questions through ChatGPT.

Professor switched to in-person final

Verified99%

He announced the final would be administered in person, and if the grade distribution did not roughly mirror the midterm, only the final would count.

Average scores plunged from 96 to 48

Verified99%

The average score on the in-person final shockingly dropped from 96 to 48 out of 100.

Multiple reputable news outlets report the same incident at Brown University. The professor suspected AI-assisted cheating on a take-home midterm, required an in-person final, and the class average fell dramatically from the midterm to the final.

Why this verdict

Multiple reputable news outlets report the same incident at Brown University.
The professor suspected AI-assisted cheating on a take-home midterm, required an in-person final, and the class average fell dramatically from the midterm to the final.

Claims checked

An Ivy League professor suspected students used AI to cheat on a take-home midterm, switched to an in-person final, and average scores fell from 96 to 48.

Verified95%

Reporting from Inside Higher Ed, Ars Technica, El País and others describes Brown professor Roberto Serrano suspecting widespread AI use on a take-home midterm (average ~96) and then administering an in-person final with an average around 48.

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