In the wake of DeepSeek AI’s global advancements, China is embracing AI education at an elementary level, with major cities like Beijing who is proactively shaping its next generation of tech leaders before they’ve even left the playground.
In a recent statement, Beijing announced that in the beginning of this fall semester, primary and secondary schools will implement a minimum of eight hours of AI instruction each academic year. Students as young as six will delve into using chatbots and other AI tools, gaining foundational knowledge of the technology and exploring AI ethics. This initiative builds upon previous efforts; in 2023, iFLYTEK, a Chinese company offering face-to-face translation, integrated AI into assignment evaluation systems to assist teachers across 103 schools in Haidian District, Beijing’s educational hub.
The Beijing Municipal Education Commission has outlined that schools can incorporate AI courses within existing subjects like information technology or science, or offer them as standalone classes. Plans are underway to develop a multi-year AI curriculum, establish a comprehensive AI education and training system, and bolster support for the program’s promotion. Parents, eager to ensure their children aren’t left behind, are increasingly enrolling them in short-term AI exploration camps. This summer, there’s a growing interest in AI programming and robotics courses.
Whether this early exposure will cultivate the next Deepseek founder Liang Wenfeng, we’ll know the answer in perhaps ten years or so.
Cover Image via Fortune.
