Denmark to Pilot Use of AI in High School English Exams from 2026

Starting in 2026, some high school students in Denmark will be allowed to use generative AI tools to prepare for their English oral exams, the Danish Ministry of Education announced on Friday, August 22.

The initiative, described as experimental, will apply only to the oral component of the English language exam for the Danish high school diploma. Participating students will have one hour to prepare after receiving their assigned topic, during which they may use any available tools — including AI.

They must then deliver their oral presentation in person before an examiner.

“We are launching pilot schemes to try to find the right balance,” said Education Minister Mattias Tesfaye. “With students growing up in both analogue and digital worlds, we need to ready them in the best way possible for the reality they will encounter after their schooling.”

The use of AI will not extend to the written portion of the English exam. To discourage overreliance on digital tools, students will be required to complete part of the written test by hand — a departure from recent years, where students typed on internet-connected computers.

“For certain linguistic aspects, it is prudent to have exams that are totally non-digital,” Tesfaye added. “That limits cheating and helps students to develop their own style of language.”

Denmark has allowed internet access during exams since 2008. The AI pilot program will be optional and limited to high schools that choose to participate.

The move comes amid global debate on the role of artificial intelligence in education — with some seeing it as a vital tool for preparing students for a digital economy, and others warning it may erode independent thinking and academic standards.