Denmark Orders 9,000 Students to Defend Essays Orally as Schools Tighten AI Cheating Controls
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 6
Denmark Orders 9,000 Students to Defend Essays Orally as Schools Tighten AI Cheating Controls
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 6
Summary
Danish upper secondary schools will immediately require oral defenses for major take-home essays, bringing about 9,000 students a year under the new anti-AI cheating rule.
The move follows Education Minister Magnus Heunicke's call for urgent action, with the ministry saying AI has become a growing challenge for teaching, exams and clear limits on permitted use.
Schools must also monitor computer use during written exams, install firewalls to restrict online access, and shift more written assignments into supervised in-school settings.
Denmark is preparing a broader national AI strategy for schools as governments across Europe grapple with misuse; in Sweden, suspensions or warnings for unauthorized AI use jumped 688% from 2023 to 2025.