This illustration picture shows icons of Google's AI (Artificial Intelligence) app BardAI (or ChatBot) (C-L), OpenAI's app ChatGPT (C-R) and other AI apps on a smartphone screen, on July 12, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

Students who use artificial intelligence to write their graduation dissertations cannot obtain higher education degrees, a draft law said on Monday.

The draft law on academic degrees is to be deliberated for the first time at a session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress held from Monday to Friday. A draft usually becomes a law after being reviewed three times.

People who commit identity theft to attend higher education institutions will also be held criminally responsible

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Students' academic degrees shall be revoked if they are found to have plagiarized or falsified data in their graduation dissertation, or used AI to write the dissertation, the draft said.

Those who steal the identities of others to attend the university or use illegal means to obtain admission letters and graduation certificates also will not be granted academic degrees, the draft said.

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People who commit identity theft to attend higher education institutions will also be held criminally responsible, it said.