Chinese Pro banned for 8 years for using AI to cheat
China Weiqi Association’s Notification on the Punishment of Revoking the Professional Rank of Qin Siyue, a Player Who Violated the Rules
On December 15, 2024, professional Go player Qin Siyue (born in 2006) was found to have brought a mobile phone during a routine spot check by the referee in the ninth round of the National Go Championship (Individual) Women’s Group and used an artificial intelligence program on the phone. After reviewing the video of the match, and listening to the testimony of the on-site referees, players, and staff, it was confirmed that Qin Siyue had entered the venue and hidden the phone in the early hours of the day and cheated during the competition, disregarded the discipline of the competition, and concealed the facts when questioned, which were serious circumstances. To rectify discipline and maintain the industry atmosphere, according to the “Disciplinary Rules and Punishment Regulations of the China Weiqi Association” and other relevant regulations, after comprehensively considering the circumstances of the violation and the person’s attitude, and after research and decision by the Discipline and Ethics Working Committee of the China Weiqi Association, Qin Siyue was punished by revoking her professional rank, cancelling her results in the 2024 National Go Championship (Individual), and prohibiting her from participating in all Go events and activities organized or authorized by the China Weiqi Association and its member units for 8 years.
Fairness and justice in competition are the industry’s lifeline. In the face of the new development situation of Go artificial intelligence, the China Weiqi Association has always taken a serious attitude, conducted rigorous investigations, and strictly dealt with various issues of competition style and discipline. In the future, it will continue to deepen lessons from the case, improve venue management and anti-cheating work, and welcome supervision from all sectors of society to jointly create a healthy development environment.
China Weiqi Association
February 26, 2025
P.S. Word has it that her win rate in 2023 was below 40%, but it shot up to 70% in 2024… She has won some of the top female players in China before, and in some games, her AI matching rate for the middle game was about 90%!