In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Philosophy Matthew Hammerton noted that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools has disrupted traditional essay-based assessments and suggested oral examinations as a practical way to enforce intellectual responsibility, where students engage in short conversations about their essays. He explained that this system discourages outsourcing to AI, rewards genuine engagement, and reinforces the cultivation of higher-order thinking. Assoc Prof Hammerton also recognised that oral exams would require greater investment, but it would align with universities’ core mission in fostering human agency and intellectual independence in an AI-saturated world.
