Finnish reporter completes online courses using only AI, education minister calls findings alarming

A reporter from Finnish public broadcaster Yle passed multiple online university courses using artificial intelligence alone, completing five-credit modules in health studies within hours, the broadcaster reported Friday.

Education Minister Anders Adlercreutz (NCP) described the findings as “shocking,” stating that students could now earn academic credits “without learning anything at all.” He called the situation “serious across all fields of study” in an interview with Yle’s morning program.

The courses—offered by South-Eastern Finland, Vaasa, and Karelia Universities of Applied Sciences—covered safe medication practices and intensive care. Yle’s investigation revealed that AI-generated responses were sufficient to pass assessments without human input.

Adlercreutz acknowledged the broader challenge of regulating AI in education, emphasizing the need to harness the technology to enhance rather than undermine learning. While he oversees primary and secondary education, universities of applied sciences fall under Science and Culture Minister Mari-Leena Talvitie (NCP).

A separate report by the Trade Union of Education (OAJ) this week found that most vocational students under 18 receive less instruction and guidance than the legal minimum requires. Niina Aho, vice chair of the vocational teachers’ union AO, told Yle that reduced in-person teaching has worsened under the current government, leaving educators unable to provide adequate support.

Aho called for stronger oversight, noting that authorities can only intervene in schools after formal complaints—even when deficiencies are severe. “It would be useful if legal supervisors could monitor in-person teaching levels without waiting for complaints,” she said, arguing this would safeguard educational quality.

Adlercreutz attributed the decline to structural issues, proposing increased support for students and separating adult learners from compulsory education cohorts. He cited a funding increase in the previous term that boosted enrollment but failed to improve completion rates, leaving many students without the skills needed to graduate.