Denmark is tightening controls on students due to cheating with AI
Denmark is changing the rules for assessing high school students’ knowledge due to the widespread use of artificial intelligence to complete homework assignments. Students who prepare major written assignments at home may now be required to defend them orally in front of their teachers. The government wants to ensure that the work was actually done by the students themselves, rather than by AI-based programs.
The new rules will take effect for high school students aged 16 to 19 starting in the new school year. The Danish government decided to change its approach to assessment after schools faced the problem of widespread use of artificial intelligence during the preparation of written assignments.
Danish Education Minister Magnus Hoenicke stated that the situation needs to be addressed as soon as possible. According to him, artificial intelligence has become a convenient tool for students who want to get a ready-made answer instead of doing the work themselves. “Unfortunately, in high schools, we have a problem with cheating using artificial intelligence. We need to act now,” the minister said.
First and foremost, the changes will affect major written assignments that students complete at home. In Denmark, these assignments are called SSO, and approximately 9,000 high school students complete them each year. After finishing the assignment, students must explain their conclusions, describe their preparation process, and answer the teacher’s questions.
The country’s Ministry of Education notes that oral defense will help better assess students’ actual knowledge. Teachers will be able to determine whether a student has truly grasped the topic or simply used a pre-written text generated by artificial intelligence. In addition, schools will face new requirements regarding supervision during written exams. Educational institutions must use special tools to monitor students’ work on computers, as well as set up network restrictions that will block access to certain websites during exams.
Another change is that more written assignments may be moved from home to the classroom. The government recommends that schools organize the completion of such assignments under the supervision of teachers. This will allow teachers to see exactly how a student is working and to assess their skills more accurately.
At the same time, the Danish government does not plan to completely ban the use of artificial intelligence in education. The ministry will consult with teachers, students, and school administrators to determine in which cases AI can be useful and when its use will be considered a violation. The country is also developing a nationwide strategy on artificial intelligence in education. This strategy will establish rules for the use of such technologies during lessons and exams.
Similar issues have arisen in neighboring Sweden. There, too, there has been an increase in cases where students use artificial intelligence without permission while completing school assignments. According to research, between 2023 and 2025, the number of students who were warned or suspended for unauthorized use of AI increased significantly.
Swedish authorities have already ordered an investigation into how schools are addressing such violations. Government officials emphasize that technology can aid in learning but should not replace students’ independent work. “There is no reason to turn a blind eye to students who cheat. Cheating is absolutely unacceptable, regardless of its form. It can skew grades, which are meant to reflect knowledge, and in the long run, students actually fail to learn what they’re supposed to,” said Lotta Edholm, Sweden’s Minister for Upper Secondary Education.
Denmark, meanwhile, is trying to strike a balance between new technologies and fair assessment of knowledge. The government is not rejecting artificial intelligence, but wants to ensure that it remains a learning aid rather than a way to avoid independent work, according to The Guardian.
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