THE Betting, Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC) has warned that applicants who use artificial intelligence (AI) to generate the 600-word essay required for consideration for its tertiary education grant will be automatically disqualified.

“You can use it to assist in your research but write the essay in your own words,” said BGLC corporate affairs and communication manager, Wendy Robertson.

The BGLC tertiary education grant is available annually only to Jamaican citizens, who will receive $60,000 each towards their tuition.

It targets full-time undergraduates in their first to fourth year of study, no older than 26 years. They must also be enrolled at an accredited, local tertiary institution and possess a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75.

Robertson said that an estimated 325 students will benefit from the sponsorship this year.

“We believe it is right to assist our students in achieving their higher-education goals. We started in 2014 and, to date, we have assisted over 18,000 students, and we have spent just over $100 million to do so. Education is an area we believe is very critical to our economy,” she said.