All primary and secondary schools in Beijing will now include lessons on Artificial Intelligence (AI) throughout the academic year, according to a statement released today by China’s official news agency, Xinhua.
The move marks a major step in China’s push to position itself at the forefront of global AI innovation. The country’s AI industry has garnered significant international attention this year, particularly following the January launch of a new AI-powered chatbot by DeepSeek—a development that made waves in global tech markets.
DeepSeek impressed industry experts with its capabilities, which reportedly match or even exceed those of Western competitors such as ChatGPT, while operating at a significantly lower cost.
AI Education Begins in Elementary School
Starting from the fall semester in early September, schools in China’s capital will integrate at least 8 hours of AI instruction into the school year. According to Xinhua, these classes may be offered as standalone courses or incorporated into existing subjects such as information technology or science.
“Innovative educational methods will be introduced using AI, including AI research assistants and other intelligent agents, to facilitate learning through human-machine interaction,” said a statement from the Beijing Municipal Education Commission.
Beijing also plans to explore deeper cooperation between universities and high schools in an effort to cultivate future AI talent. This includes the development of a series of advanced AI training courses aimed at fostering exceptional and early-stage talent in the field.
Rising Expectations for China’s AI Competitors
The announcement comes amid heightened anticipation surrounding China’s next wave of AI assistants, as the country races to compete with leading AI developers globally.
Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping held a rare meeting with top domestic tech entrepreneurs, fueling optimism over increased government backing for the sector. DeepSeek’s software launch was widely welcomed by authorities, and the company’s founder reportedly took part in the high-profile meeting with Xi.
Now, all eyes are on new players entering the space. Just last week, Chinese tech giant Alibaba unveiled a new AI model called QwQ-32B, which the company claims delivers “comparable performance” to DeepSeek while operating with significantly fewer data inputs.
The rapid integration of AI into China’s educational system—beginning at the elementary level—reflects the country’s ambition not only to innovate technologically but also to ensure that its future workforce is well-versed in the tools that will define the decades ahead.
