logo
China's six-year-olds are already being offered AI classes in school in a bid to train the next generation of DeepSeek founders

China's six-year-olds are already being offered AI classes in school in a bid to train the next generation of DeepSeek founders

Yahoo10-03-2025

Following DeepSeek's explosive success, AI classes are coming to primary and secondary schools in China's capital, Beijing—and it's not the only country that's training kids to be the next Liang Wenfeng.
China has a new secret weapon in the global AI-wars: elementary school kids. Beijing is training its next cohort of tech CEOs before they've even left the playground.
Starting this fall semester, primary and secondary schools in Beijing will offer at least eight hours of AI classes every academic year—with students as young as six years old being taught how to use chatbots and other tools, general background on the technology, and AI ethics.
In a recent statement, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission said that schools can integrate the courses with existing studies like information technology or science, or let them stand alone. It also outlines plans to construct a multi-year AI curriculum, build a general AI education and training system, roll out a support system, and drum up promotion of the study.
China's capital hopes this training will bolster the country's strength in winning the AI wars—especially after DeepSeek's explosive entry onto the scene. And efforts are well underway; last December, China's Ministry of Education announced that it selected 184 Chinese schools to pilot models and programs in the AI curriculum to serve as a basis for wider programming. And Huai Jinpeng, the minister of the government agency, said that AI is the 'golden key' for the country's educational system.
Beijing's schools may be trying to replicate the success it's seen out of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou—where two of China's most prominent tech leaders, DeepSeek's Liang Wenfeng and Unitree's Wang Xingxing both graduated from. By getting students to grips with AI at an even younger age, the nation's capital could see an explosion of innovation—if it can keep pace with other countries also integrating AI into school curriculums.
China isn't the only country to bring AI to kids.
Estonia's government announced a partnership with OpenAI last month to equip secondary school students and teachers with ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT customized for education systems. It will be rolled out among 10th and 11th graders in the country starting September this year, and the collaboration will also entail technical assistance, administrative task streamlining, study support, and lesson planning.
'We are now starting a new chapter in the development of our education system and digital society,' Estonian President Alar Karis said. 'Artificial intelligence has permanently changed the world, and like all sectors, the education system must adapt to these changes.'
Other countries like Canada and South Korea have also integrated the advanced tech into K-12 studies, including using AI-powered digital textbooks and programs for teachers to integrate AI in class. A private school in the U.K. similarly launched a 'teacherless' classroom last year, where about 20 students used virtual reality headsets and AI platforms to learn instead of listening to humans. And American education provider McGraw Hill launched two genAI tools for the classroom in 2024: AI Reader to mark up digital books and Writing Assistant to get specific feedback in the writing process.
Despite the waves AI can make in learning, education companies and ministries head caution with overreliance on tech tools. Advanced tech has the capability to be anyone's personal tutor—free of charge—which can be conveniently accessed on any device. But there are risks, too. The United Nations has stressed children's safety by using inclusive AI tools, setting clear guidelines, emphasizing 'humanity' at the center of the curriculums, and managing risk. And education business leaders echo the same considerations.
'Our levels of brand trust are so high that the greatest risk for us is not moving too slowly on AI, it's moving too fast on AI,' Dylan Arena, chief data science and AI officer at McGraw Hill, told Fortune.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

US reports another arrest of Chinese scientist with no permit to send biological material
US reports another arrest of Chinese scientist with no permit to send biological material

Hamilton Spectator

time10 minutes ago

  • Hamilton Spectator

US reports another arrest of Chinese scientist with no permit to send biological material

DETROIT (AP) — A Chinese scientist was arrested while arriving in the U.S. at the Detroit airport, the second case in days involving the alleged smuggling of biological material, authorities said Monday. The scientist is accused of shipping biological material months ago to staff at a laboratory at the University of Michigan. The FBI, in a court filing, described it as material related to certain worms and requires a government permit. 'The guidelines for importing biological materials into the U.S. for research purposes are stringent, but clear, and actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars,' said John Nowak, who leads field operations at U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The scientist was interviewed and arrested Sunday after arriving on a flight from China, where she is pursuing an advanced degree at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan. She planned to spend a year completing a project at the University of Michigan. Her shipments, including an envelope stuffed inside a book, were intercepted last year and earlier this year and opened by authorities, the FBI said. The court filing doesn't indicate whether the FBI believes the biological material was dangerous, though U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said smuggling 'threatens our security.' The government last week charged two Chinese scientists who are accused of conspiring to smuggle a toxic fungus into the U.S. One was turned around at the Detroit airport and sent back to China last year, while the other, a researcher at the University of Michigan, was arrested. She remains in custody. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

Business Rundown: High State Trade Talks Between U.S., China Began
Business Rundown: High State Trade Talks Between U.S., China Began

Fox News

time14 minutes ago

  • Fox News

Business Rundown: High State Trade Talks Between U.S., China Began

Kicking off what will no doubt be a big week in economic news, the White House's top trade officials are meeting with their Chinese counterparts in London. Their goal is to end the ongoing trade war and reach a deal that will provide a much-needed boost to America's manufacturers. While we're coming off a better-than-expected May jobs report, the stakes remain high for Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, as Wall Street and Main Street have been somewhat anxious about President Trump's tariff strategy. Also, on the minds of investors, this week's inflation report, the fallout from the President's fallout with Elon Musk, and the fate of that one big beautiful bill. Lou Basenese, the Executive Vice President of Market Strategy at Prairie Operating, joins FOX Business Network's Lydia Hu to discuss the importance of the U.S.-China trade talks, Wednesday's inflation data, and the other big stories that could move the market this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

Apple's Finally Adding Call and Message Screening. Better Late Than Never, I Say
Apple's Finally Adding Call and Message Screening. Better Late Than Never, I Say

CNET

time17 minutes ago

  • CNET

Apple's Finally Adding Call and Message Screening. Better Late Than Never, I Say

Apple's new call and text screening feature could do more than keep you from talking to strangers -- it could keep you safe from scammers looking to steal your information or your identity. Similar to features from Google and Samsung, Apple's Call Screening vets unknown callers by checking what they want before sending them your way. The company announced the capability at its WWDC 2025 keynote. This could help curb the threat of AI voice clone scams, which allow scammers to create AI voice clones with just three seconds of voice. These call and message screening features may come years after many of Apple's competitors have already implemented them, but it's an easy W for Apple nonetheless. There's also a new text message filtering capability that places messages from unknown senders into a separate folder for you to review or ignore. This could help limit the number of people who fall for job, toll, or other text phishing scams. I get two, maybe three of these text messages a week. Having them on their own little island may not stop the frequency at which they're sent, but it will certainly provide some peace of mind that I won't accidentally click a scam link or fall for some AI phishing scam. Plus, a less cluttered inbox is always nice. Apple's new features come at a good time, too. A recent CNET survey showed that 96% of Americans receive at least one scam message from email, phone calls or texts each week. While Apple may be late to the party, anything that helps fewer scams reach you is a welcomed addition.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store