Eastwood report uncovers Artificial Intelligence ‘Essay Mill’ scandal.

Sunday September fifteen 2069.

The long awaited report from the Eastwood inquiry, set up by the previous government two years ago, has finally been released. That it has taken a change of government to bring the findings into the light of day has been a source of much speculation about a cover up. Entitled ‘Growth in Student Assignment Fraud and AI Personation’, it makes for uncomfortable reading and exposes major flaws in the current regulatory system.  The findings are explosive and indicate that cheating is widespread, with those involved working out more and more clever ways to bypass the checks and regulations.

It appears that the inquiry has uncovered a massive criminal conspiracy involving students, university managements and as yet undisclosed criminal gangs. The gangs appear to operate in the same manner as the ruthless drugs gangs prevalent in the late 20^th Century. The universities in the Alliance of Independent Providers (AIP) group of institutions come in for particular criticism. There is a suspicion that they specifically targeted students that were performing poorly to offer help with their assignments and boost their rankings. Also that staff turned a ‘blind eye’ to what was going on. Perversely, the AIPs had developed ‘in house’ the latest anti-plagiarism technology that the essays were now by-passing. The tougher external examination process muted over the last few years would have little effect.

The inquiry into the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in ‘unregulated student assessed assignments’ has its roots in the controversial collapse of the trial of a student over 20 months ago.  Student X, whose name is still the subject of a court reporting embargo, was suspended from the University of Middle England (a member of the AIP group of universities)  on suspicion that he was supplying hundreds of plagiarised essays to his fellow students for thousands of bitcoins each. He was charged under the 2026 Act and accused in court of making over ₿ 6,200 per essay. 

The prosecution case hinged on the method used to manipulate the essays prior to submission.  The accused claimed that the essays genuinely arose from the final efforts of the candidates themselves before making formal submissions to the university. His role had been to provide the means and information to assist the students. His counsel noted that it was the equivalent of supplying a computer 50 years ago or a pen 100 years ago. The accused could not be liable for how the technology was used. In effect, Student X was purchasing top ranked assignments from earlier cohorts of students and manipulating them for distribution to students in later years. His defence was that he was only a go between and was supplying examples of sound work that was legal since 2026. However, and crucially, he also provided access to an AI robot, TurnitOut, which regenerated essays by analysing the lexicon and grammatical structure and replaced key words and sentences to get past the latest anti-plagiarism technology. The prosecution case floundered on two points.

Firstly, using the robot’s efforts to rewrite well know paragraphs from classic literature as an example did not impress the jury.  The opening lines from Herman Melville’s ‘Moby Dick’,

“Call me Ishmael. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.”
Became:

“You may refer to me as Ishmael. A few years back, don’t bother counting, I was skint and out of bitcoins and had little interest in what was on dry land. I thought I would set sail for a bit and look at the aqueous sections of this planet.”

Secondly, Student X dramatically revealed that he was “82% robot himself” having been largely reconstructed after a boating accident. This raised the tricky question, when does a human become a robot and can they be legitimately charged with an offence? 

Using the work of others in course assessments and assignments in Universities and Colleges was made a criminal offence in England in 2020 soon after the ‘incident’ of 2019.  Then, the defence by the so called ‘Essay Mills’ was that they were merely supplying examples of good work and were not committing any offence. They “supplied the gun and training but did not shoot it”.  Needless to say, the law proved unworkable as more and more ‘Essay Mills’ emerged that sold their products as “bespoke literature searches and technical reports” that were marketed as “Let us do the searching for you so you can relax and shop”. A similar law passed across the newly formed Western European Confederation of States (WECs) in 2026 also failed to stem the tide of “cheating by people of means”.  This resulted in a change towards licensing and regulation of the practice in the WECs and, by then,  the Former UK States. (FUKS). In England the Office for Learner Provision (OfLP) took over licensing of the more official looking ‘Literature Assisting Technology Enterprises’ (LATE). They were strictly not licensed or allowed to alter any documents or assist in a final assignment as this was a criminal offence.

We interviewed the elusive chair of the inquiry, Professor Sir Harry Eastwood, who is no stranger to government inquiries and is known for his uncompromising stance on difficult issues. He offered considerable praise for our investigative reporter, Travis Bickle, who uncovered the initial story.  He acknowledged that Travis had taken a great risk by working as the official driver for the VC of The University of Middle England, the much feared Virginia Fox. He overheard and recorded crucial evidence in conversations from inside the car. When challenged, he pretended he was not listening by looking dumb and saying no more than; “are you looking at me”. However, unbeknownst to his employers, he enrolled as a part-time student of Applied Criminology and Politics at the university and befriended many of the students that were illegally using AI generated assignments. They revealed a deep rooted problem. Professor Harry Eastwood noted that every student should be careful about what they are being offered; “When a student is offering essays at a price, whichever way you look at it, I figure he isn’t out collecting for the Red Cross”.

He was also keen to point out that the system is very unfair to those with little means: “It seems that in this world there’s two kinds of people, Those with AI and those who fail” . He warned that the changes needed would be uncompromising and urged all students considering this route to consider what they are really getting in terms of personal development and education: “If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster”.

Travis Bickle, Investigative Reporter

Controversial implanting of MDF Boards in human brains revealed

Sunday January twenty six 2070

The government of the People's Democracy of China has just released the final report of its inquiry into the controversial AI based educational enhancement programme of the 2040s. 

With the conclusions come many questions and concerns that have rippled across the world and alarmed many in the FUKS. It appears that Chinese scientists and medical engineers successfully uploaded educational enhancements directly to hard-wired human brains from 2040 onwards. The technology arose from the ground-breaking invention of the organic super computer in 2037 at the Democratic University of Hong Kong (DUHK). This marked the end of the digital computing era and the beginning of the organic computing era with the introduction of modulated data format or MDF boards. This technology is the basis of the massive ‘Two Brains’ organic computer in Birmingham currently used by the FUKS government. The technology was quickly exploited by Lotus Technologies in nearby Shenzhen in Guangdong Province. Whilst the revolutionary organic computers have spread into all areas of computing, robotics and AI around the world, the work of its spin-out company, Lotophage Life Solutions, remained hidden until now.

Hardwiring human brains.

We now know that vast Chinese resources were poured into developing implants of mini-organic ports (or MOPS) into human brains. These receive data wirelessly from the sophisticated organic computers and transmit directly into the brain’s memory in the MDF board format. Vast amounts of educational information could be uploaded into human brains in a matter of hours. Initial trials on students at DUHK were successful and those with only three hours of uploading out-competed third year students in final examinations. By 2045 the trials had expanded to paying ‘volunteers’ from several other countries. It appears a black market in enhanced education was operating for several years.

FUKS students pay for educational enhancement.

Thousands of FUKS students travelled in secret to China at that time and benefitted from rapid educational enhancements that assisted them in their attainment at home. The costs were high and only the wealthier families could afford the fees and travel expenses. However, the recent inquiry and report reveals that most success was achieved using humans that were less capable and of low intelligence, “It was better to paint on a blank canvas than paint over a masterpiece”. Indeed as the trials progressed it appeared that even the most capable students became confused in later years. This was particularly evident in how they interpreted historical facts. In contrast, less capable students revealed that they had knowledge enough to excel in exams but often did not know what it meant. One anonymous FUKS volunteer with a first class degree from the University of Middle England reported, “I could remember huge complex mathematical equations and solutions and I admit I never understood what they meant. But it didn't hold me back”.

The secret trials were halted.

As the adverse effects of enhanced education slowly emerged, the Chinese Government became concerned. When one of the program’s more famous alumni, Měi Huā was elected to a senior ministerial position as Education Chair, alarmed bells were ringing. She began to advocate that all students should be educated in this manner despite many having reservations. Unfortunately for her she had a major breakdown in 2052 and was committed to a mental institution. There was disquiet when she announced in a speech to the People’s Democratic Assembly that she was “all knowing and all seeing”. However, when she broke into a song about her “sixteen points” singing “The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution is Indeed Good” she was escorted away.

Within weeks the programme was closed down. The fact that many similarly educated elite were scattered around the world, with thousands now known to be in the FUKS, was conveniently forgotten.

The recent revelations raise many concerns about well-off FUKS students gaining unfair advantages in the past. We asked Re-education Minister in the Department for Life-Long Learning, Karl Corbyn Junior III, if he could comment about his ‘cultural exchange’ visit to China as a student on a gap year in 2045. He declined to comment.

From our Asia correspondent, Yīn Jīng Head.

Triumphant SCAM Party Conference 2069

Sunday October six 2069

The Socialist Conservative Alliance Movement (SCAM) Party Conference ended today on a high note.  It held its first triumphant party conference since forming the government. They were gathered in the massive Ultra Conference Centre in Cardington, near Bedford New Town, having swept into government across three of the FUKS states in May. The impressive size of the conference was only matched by the massive halls that were formally used to construct huge airships in the last century. This was the only indoor conference venue that could be used to accommodate the 25,000 delegates expected.  Refurbished ten years ago, Cardington UCC is the most modern and spacious centre of its kind in the Western European Confederation States (WECS).

A speech to end all speeches.

Prime Minister Margaret May delivered one of the greatest final day conference speeches of our times to a packed hall. She savaged the aspirations and record of the last government in typically brutal style. No stone was left unthrown as she condemned Norman Larage’s administration to the “composter of history”. “Larage and his rabid acolytes have been rumbled finally. No more threats to our western European neighbours by his Isolation Secretaries Boris Barking and Ronnie Robinson (Latterly Education Secretary) as we enter a new era….. The referendum on FUKSEXIT will never happen as the people have spoken”.  She reserved particular vitriol for the former Home Enforcement Secretary, Oswald Mosstone. “Mosstone is rolling no more. He and his irregular police will gather innocent people’s fauna no more. His fear tactics and network of surveillance will be dismantled”.  Student activists that long opposed Larage and Mosstone rose in unison and applauded loudly.

The education revolution.

The education brief of Re-education Minister, Karl Corbyn Junior III was to reinforce the commitment of the government to life-long learning, “from the incubator to the composter”. All citizens in the FUKS would be registered for compulsory re-education from ages two to sixty by the end of 2069 (see earlier Timeline 2069 ‘Radical lifelong leaning plans announced’). The speed of enactment of the legislation has astounded most observers. He announced that he would deploy the latest AI machines in government and the massive ‘Two Brains’ organic computer in Birmingham to check and model every aspect of the ‘Re-Education Bill’.  The original idea harks back to the failed attempt to introduce a National Education Service earlier this century. The ‘incident’ of 2019 meant that it was shelved along with many other social measures.

Now everyone will be compelled to register and engage in education for 20 hours per week. The will be allocated a National Access Number or NAN that will help them access resources online. He launched the slogan “Bored? Need someone to help? There’s always your NAN”.  This move is made possible by enforcing fully the WECS ‘Leisure Time Directive’ that limits working to 20 hours per week. To counter the increasing boredom, the SCAM plan is to direct everyone into more useful education. 

Oldman review revisited.

One aspect of the policy is driven by a detailed assessment of the workforce carried out two years ago in the little publicised Oldman Review. Prior to the ‘incident’ it was generally assumed that university and college provider academics were isolated from society and needed to ‘get out more’. They were subsequently forced to work outside of their academic environment for at least three months every year from 2022. This practice has persisted as a loose, and generally unregulated arrangement, since then. It also led to the university and college provider employers assuming their staff had independent earnings for three months of the year, even if they did not. This was a ruse to pay them for only nine months per year and cut costs. Under Sir Henry Oldman (93), the review concluded that the precise reverse was the case. Most university staff had worked hard to keep abreast of the radical modern developments. He called them the “Repositories of memory and wisdom and not just mere dictionaries”. He noted that “We must make up our minds to be ignorant of much, if we would know anything. Academics are a good example of this and are at the leading edge of ideas about social changes, science and new technologies”. In contrast, Oldman concluded that most of the workforce, that had qualified years earlier, carried on with what they knew from then and had little or no input of new ideas or training over time. This was particularly pronounced in senior managers in industry and commerce, as well as leading politicians, who had only a vague understanding of the novel developments emerging around them. The Oldman review recommended a radical reversal of the situation and compulsory re-education of everyone on a rolling basis throughout their working lives.

A new beginning for the SCAM Party.

The SCAM Party has its origins just after the ‘incident’ in 2019. An attempt was made to form a coalition between the then Labour and Conservative Parties to challenge the rise of extreme nationalism.  The party was first called the Socialist Conservative United Momentum Party or SCUM Party. This initiative failed to materialise in the chaos post ‘incident’. Instead an unruly parliament was inhabited by a series of independent MPs who were lobbying for one or other populist cause. With a series of minority governments trying to rule in this atmosphere, it became anarchic. For example, one important bill on social housing proposed by SCUM in 2026 could only be passed it if included free ice cream for all children on bank holidays demanded by three independent MPs.

The inevitable rise of extreme nationalism from this chaos came about when the FUKS joined the Western European Confederate States (WECS). Nationalists protesters tried to stop the Confederation forming and bitterly opposed the WECS headquarters being established in Dublin. Called the Former UK States Isolation Party or FUKSI Party, they rose slowly to dominate every facet of government. Under charismatic Norman Larage, they finally took their seats as a majority government ten years ago. This was with the help of their sister party, the Northern Ireland Homeland Isolation League or NIHIL party (a breakaway group from the now disbanded DUP that ruled before the ‘incident’). For the last ten years, FUKSIP has strained relations with WECS to breaking point. The FUKSI demise came in the last election when they promised to hold a referendum on membership of WECS if they were returned as the government in 2069. This was their undoing and was marked by the Isolation Secretary, Boris Barking, stating that “WECS is a betrayal of the people and I will run naked through a field of corn if we do not leave”.  Some observers think this finally swung the electorate to the SCAM cause eager for a good laugh. The elections in May were held simultaneously for the FUKS parliament and the governments of all of the FUK states independently. With the exception of Northern Ireland, who returned another NIHIL government, the SCAM Party had a landslide victory in all states. This is unprecedented and cements in place a government that can now take the country forward to forge greater links for most of the FUKS across the WECS.

And finally.

At the end of conference, Margaret May led the singing of the now traditional anthem of the SCAM party, ‘Dancing Queen’ composed by a popular Swedish combo, Abba, in the last century. The origins of this tradition remain unknown but some believe it goes back to an obscure event in pre ‘incident’ times. The delegates were in on their feet at once and singing and dancing along to the music. They swept from the hall at the end, still dancing and singing, into the Bedford New Town facilities and surrounding cornfields.

Amidst the immense joy, the now veteran journalist and commentator, Owen Jones, was heard to remark.

“We all voted for them, sure what harm can they do?”  Time will tell.