Click here for the full article: Cheating, technology and the new exam landscape | Tatler
The full article has been reproduced below with kind permission.
Technology in the exam room
Recent warnings from Ofqual have once again brought the issue of cheating in examinations into focus. The regulator of qualifications, exams and assessments in England has raised concerns about a ‘growing threat’ from high-tech devices in the exam room, including smart watches, invisible earpieces and even smart glasses capable of displaying text directly in a student’s field of vision.
The scale of the issue is already significant. In the summer 2025 exam series, mobile phones and smart devices accounted for 2,225 malpractice cases – over 44% of all recorded instances of student exam misconduct in that year. This is not a new trend: technology-related cheating has been the most common form of exam malpractice since 2018 – but the issue no longer relates solely (or mainly) to students secretly glancing at their phone but is becoming far more complex and harder to detect.
Ofqual recently emphasised the need to ‘move really fast’ to keep pace with technological change. However the reality is that regulation is struggling to keep pace with developments in technology.
Even though Ofqual admit that more needs to be done to combat cheating, there are already serious risks to students in taking the decision to cheat and serious sanctions available to exam boards – ranging from mark reductions to full disqualification – that can have severe and long lasting consequences for a student’s academic and professional trajectory.
The EdTech dilemma and impact on remote coursework
At the same time, schools and universities are navigating a broader transformation driven by education technology (EdTech). Digital tools, online platforms and AI-powered learning assistants are becoming embedded in the student experience. While these technologies can enhance learning outcomes, they come with risk and introduce new opportunities for misuse.
AI, in particular, has become a focal point of concern. Ofqual has acknowledged growing anxiety among teachers about students using AI to cheat in their coursework, the remote aspect of which makes verification of authorship inherently more difficult.
These issues illustrate a growing tension at the heart of modern education: technology is both an enabler of learning and a potential shortcut that can undermine academic integrity and perhaps long-term outcomes.
One of the most difficult issues facing educators is defining what constitutes cheating in an age of intelligent tools. For example, is a student’s use of an AI system to refine their writing or check facts academic misconduct? The answer may be found in applicable institutional policies, but it may not be clear-cut and can be fact-specific.
The current uncertainty risks eroding trust between students and educators. This is particularly the case when detection tools for AI-generated content remain imperfect, leading to false accusations being made in some cases and misuse going undetected in others.
The Way Forward
There is increasing pressure on the regulator, exam boards and education providers across the sector. They are charged with creating an environment that is fit for the technological challenges of the age, applying rules in a manner that deters malpractice.
However, regulation alone cannot solve the problem. Schools, parents and students all have a role to play in upholding academic standards.
The challenge, ultimately, is not to resist technology but to adapt to it responsibly. The integrity of the education system depends on getting this balance right.
Ane Vernon is a partner at law firm Payne Hicks Beach. She specialises in disputes arising in the commercial, education, and regulatory sectors, including safeguarding.
