Honestly, Columbia’s reaction feels less about ethics and more about damage control. Lee didn’t cheat to land a job — he built an AI tool to expose how broken Big Tech’s hiring process is. Ironically, that shows the kind of problem-solving and innovation those companies claim to value.
What’s troubling is the university’s overreach. His actions had nothing to do with his academic work, yet Columbia is stepping in — not to uphold integrity, but seemingly to protect its reputation. It looks like a “Bauernopfer” — making an example of Lee to scare other students away from using AI tools.
But there’s a deeper issue: universities are losing their grip on being the sole gatekeepers of knowledge. AI and open-access information are disrupting traditional models, and instead of adapting, institutions are doubling down on outdated rules. This isn’t about Lee’s tool — it’s about “Geltungsverlust” — the fear that their authority is slipping in a world where students can bypass conventional performance measuring schemes.
– Generated out of discussion with 4o as from a european standpoint I can’t understand why the uni was even allowed to act
Should have read it to the end and totally agree