The Danish government has announced a series of measures to combat the growing problem of artificial intelligence cheating in upper secondary schools, with implementation beginning immediately as students return from summer break.
Under the new policies, pupils aged 16 to 19 will be required to provide oral defences of written essays they complete at home. Approximately 9,000 students annually who submit major assignments will now need to defend their work verbally. Education authorities indicated they would consult with schools regarding the most appropriate methods for conducting these defences. Additionally, upper secondary institutions must deploy monitoring technology to track computer usage during written examinations and install firewalls to restrict access to certain online content during instruction and assessment periods.
Schools are also being encouraged to conduct more written assignments under supervised in-school conditions rather than allowing students to complete them at home. This approach aims to enable teachers to observe the student work process, provide timely feedback, and develop more accurate assessments of student knowledge and capability.
Education Minister Magnus Heunicke stated that urgent intervention was necessary, noting that artificial intelligence posed a mounting challenge to teaching and examinations. The government plans to develop a comprehensive national strategy addressing AI use across all educational levels. Officials emphasized the importance of ensuring that AI tools do not compromise students’ core competencies, professional development, or independent thinking abilities.
Denmark’s response reflects broader concerns internationally. In neighbouring Sweden, suspensions and warnings related to unauthorized AI use among students increased substantially between 2023 and 2025, prompting the Swedish government to commission a comprehensive review into how schools are addressing AI cheating.
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