Beijing’s schools will soon introduce artificial intelligence (AI) courses to primary and secondary students, aligning with China’s ambition to lead in the AI sector, according to Bloomberg.
Starting in the upcoming fall semester on September 1, schools in the capital will offer a minimum of eight hours of AI classes per academic year. The Beijing Municipal Education Commission stated on its website that these classes can be held as standalone courses or integrated into existing subjects like information technology and science.
China has long aimed to be a leader in AI innovation, but the field gained international attention earlier this year when the startup DeepSeek claimed its AI model could compete with those from major U.S. companies while using significantly fewer resources.
The introduction of AI courses follows the government’s commitment at the National People’s Congress to support the widespread application of large-scale AI models and the development of next-generation intelligent devices and manufacturing tools.
On the sidelines of the annual session of the national legislature, China’s Minister of Education, Huai Jinpeng, highlighted the potential of AI to drive a technological revolution in education. He also announced that the country plans to release a white paper on AI education in 2025.
