AI in English oral exams will be piloted in Denmark for selected upper secondary students in summer 2026, as the Ministry of Children and Education (Børne- og Undervisningsministeriet) trials hybrid exam formats that mix analogue and digital tools. Under the pilot, students in English A (engelsk A) on the general upper secondary programme (stx) may use generative AI during the preparation time for the oral test, while parts of the written exam will be completed by hand.
What the pilot allows in the oral A-level exam
During the oral English A pilot, all aids will be permitted in the preparation period, including generative AI such as ChatGPT. The examination itself remains in person, with 60 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of examination. Candidates will spend less time presenting their prepared text and will, as a new element, read a familiar passage aloud and relate it to the drawn text.
Handwritten written test to deter cheating
Today the written English A exam is fully digital. In the pilot, it will be split in two: the first part will be analogue, pen-and-paper without aids; the second part will be digital in a restricted text field with limited access to tools.
The ministry argues that analogue components reduce cheating risks and help students demonstrate their own language.
The trial will run in the 2025/26 school year with exams in summer 2026. Participation is limited to selected stx cohorts at participating schools, and classes that join the pilot must sit both the written and oral trials to provide a robust evaluation.
Why test AI in English oral exams
Children and Education Minister (børne- og undervisningsministeren) Mattias Tesfaye (S) says exams should “use digital technology wisely.” The pilot aims to find a balance where AI is a learning tool, not a cheating tool, while ensuring that exam formats can assess both baseline skills without aids and competences with digital tools.
The initiative follows expert recommendations that future exams should “walk on two legs,” combining non-digital and digital assessment.
Beyond English: analogue shifts in other language exams
In parallel, Denmark is extending handwritten formats to additional language subjects. From 1 August 2025, several A-level language exams require answers by hand, and the ministry plans consultations to expand similar formats to French, Greek, Chinese, Latin and German, among others. The English pilot builds on earlier paper-based trials that showed stronger independent formulation and lower cheating risk.
Nordic and EU context
Denmark has steadily adjusted exam rules as AI advances. School leaders and teachers across the Nordics debate how to integrate digital tools while preserving academic integrity. The Danish pilot, with AI in English oral exams but analogue elements in writing, will be watched across the Nordic region and the EU as countries recalibrate assessment in an AI-enabled classroom.
What to watch next
If the pilot confirms that AI-assisted preparation improves learning without undermining fairness, the ministry could scale the model to other language subjects or refine digital safeguards. Conversely, if oversight or equity concerns persist, further analogue measures may follow. Either way, the outcome will shape how Nordic schools balance innovation with integrity in high-stakes assessment.
