Artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be used to detect suspected irregularities during the upcoming national college entrance exam, or gaokao, in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, which is the first time that AI has been applied in the analysis of exam behavior in this province, according to Xinhua News Agency on Monday. 

AI can quickly analyze all the video files of examination rooms in a short amount of time, and detect suspected violations of examinees as an initial judgment. Then examination staffs will further identify and judge these suspected violations detected by the system. 

The technology is meant to improve efficiency, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Around 10.7 million Chinese students will sit for gaokao this year, which is the highest number since the country resumed the exam in 1977, according to the Ministry of Education. 

AI technology will also be used in other national education examinations in the future. The use of AI technology is extending to different industries in China. 

The national college entrance exam of 2020 will start on July 7, which was postponed a month due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.