That the Parliament notes with concern reports that cases of cheating in universities have increased by more than 1,000% in recent years; understands that this surge in cheating is being driven, in part, by internet-based essay mills targeting students in Scotland, with services costing hundreds of pounds and claiming to guarantee the passing of assessments; believes that students in Scotland have become increasingly vulnerable to being targeted by these services as a result of action to outlaw it in England in 2022; considers that the emergence of AI software such as ChatGPT presents a distinct problem for institutions, due to the difficulties in identifying when such software has been used; recognises the work that institutions have commenced, in collaboration with expert bodies for ICT and academic integrity, to explore potential solutions to the threats posed by ChatGPT; considers that fairness and playing by the rules are at the core of Scotland's education system, and calls on the Scottish Government to take urgent action to ban essay mills, engage with higher education institutions on the use of AI software, and ensure that the credibility of Scotland's education system is not undermined in the future.