Teenagers in Denmark will soon have to explain their written schoolwork in person to prove they did not use artificial intelligence to cheat.
As pupils prepare to return from their summer break, the Danish government announced new rules for upper secondary schools, known locally as gymnasiet. Students aged 16 to 19 will now be required to make an oral defense of major essay assignments written at home. The measure specifically targets a large annual project called the større skriftlige opgave (SSO), which about 9,000 students complete each year.
Danish Education Minister Magnus Heunicke called for urgent action to address the growing challenge of AI in classrooms. He emphasized that clear boundaries are needed to ensure that digital tools do not undermine students' independent thinking, professional skills, and core competencies.
Alongside oral defenses, upper secondary schools will implement computer monitoring during exams and install network firewalls to restrict access to unauthorized sites. The ministry is also encouraging schools to conduct more written assignments inside classrooms under direct supervision. This shift allows teachers to observe student progress, offer immediate feedback, and evaluate work fairly.
Cheating with AI tools has become a widespread concern across Europe. In neighboring Sweden, the number of students suspended or warned for unauthorized AI use rose by 688 percent between 2023 and 2025, prompting Swedish education officials to launch a national review into how schools handle the issue.