Artificial intelligence is no longer just a topic for technology companies or university labs in China. It is becoming a firm part of the education system from primary school to high school. Chinese schools are gradually introducing AI into mainstream teaching, the state is building a unified system for assessing digital competencies, and a national strategy is emerging to raise a new generation of professionals ready for the smart economy of the future. But this effort has been controversial - not in China itself, but especially in the US.

At the start of the new school year, for example, teachers at Beijing 80 Middle School used large language models and AI prompts to show students new ways of learning in the digital age. At Lijia Experimental Primary School in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area, educators used an intelligent database of educational resources to create personalized lesson plans and automatically analyze students' academic performance.

Such scenarios are no longer the exception in China today. Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from experimental projects to everyday school realities.

State wants to expand AI education by 2030

A key impetus was the Chinese Ministry of Education's November 2024 announcement to strengthen AI education in primary and secondary schools. The document clearly states that by 2030, AI education is to be widely available in most Chinese schools. At the same time, artificial intelligence has become one of the main pillars of the new information technology curriculum.

But China is not starting from scratch. Back in 2017, the State Council released a plan for the development of the next generation of artificial intelligence, which called for the introduction of AI courses in schools and the gradual expansion of programming instruction. Since then, many regions have begun building their own education systems.

The first officially approved high school textbook on artificial intelligence was created in Guangzhou. The city of Qingdao has established an AI education research institute and is working with universities to train educators. Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen or Wuhan are creating their own curricula, digital platforms and educational infrastructure.

China wants to raise a generation ready for an AI economy

Podle profesora Zhong Baichanga from the South China University of Education, artificial intelligence has become a fundamental part of modern society and AI literacy will be as important as reading, mathematics or computer work for future generations.

„Schools are the main place for the development of civic competences. Only through the widespread introduction of AI education can the level of technological literacy of the young generation be systematically raised,“ Zhong Baichang said.

Labour market experts also speak similarly. According to the lecturer Sun Yua from the University of International Business and Economics, the future economy will need a large number of people capable of working with AI technologies. Therefore, teaching AI should not only teach students how to use new tools, but also develop creativity, innovative thinking and the ability to solve complex problems.

A national AI literacy assessment system is emerging

This area is now being followed up by another major project. At the end of February 2026, a nationwide AI literacy assessment system for Chinese youth was officially launched for children and students aged 6 to 18. The project is backed by the China Electronic Society, the People's Educational Audiovisual and Digital Publishing House and Beijing Zhongqi Zhizao Technology.

The new system is based on the „Guidelines for General Education in Artificial Intelligence for Primary and Secondary Schools (Version 2025)“ and links teaching, continuous assessment and final testing of students.

The assessment is divided into six levels - from L1 „basic familiarisation“ to L6 „integrated innovation“. Four main areas are monitored:

  • knowledge
  • practical skills
  • way of thinking
  • value attitudes

The system combines continuous monitoring of student work during the course with the results of standardized exams. The goal is to create a consistent framework for developing AI competencies across the country, reduce disparities between regions, and offer schools and authorities clear data on the level of technology education.

Experts agree that the future of AI education will not be based on theory alone. Hands-on learning, project-based learning and working on real-world problems should play a key role. Students should not only learn to use the technology, but also to understand its societal implications and create their own innovative solutions.

US controversy: „China is forcing children into AI“

However, there has also been a significant wave of controversy surrounding Chinese AI education in recent months, particularly in parts of the US media and on social media. There are frequent claims that China is „forcing children into AI“, creating a generation of technologically driven citizens, or even introducing a form of technological indoctrination from the earliest grades.

However, when comparing these claims with the actual content of Chinese education programmes, it is clear that such interpretations tend to be greatly simplified or taken out of context.

In fact, Chinese documents and expert commentaries themselves do not talk about replacing classical education with artificial intelligence or forcing children into highly specialised technological professions. The main goal is to build basic digital literacy and the ability to navigate a world where AI will be a normal part of everyday life.

The structure of the AI literacy assessment system corresponds to this. It does not only assess technical knowledge, but also critical thinking, creativity, practical skills and value attitudes of students. In addition, much of the learning is based on project work, collaboration and problem solving, rather than mechanical memorisation of algorithms.

The oft-mentioned claim that Chinese children will be „compulsorily programmed from first grade“ is also not true. Rather, most programmes for the youngest children focus on basic introduction to the principles of the digital world, logical thinking or the safe use of technology. Moreover, Chinese schools themselves openly admit that they still face problems with a lack of teachers, technology and quality teaching materials.

Paradox: part of the US criticises China, another part wants to catch up

Paradoxically, while some US commentators criticize the Chinese model as too aggressive, a number of US technology firms also warn that the United States is lagging behind China in teaching AI. Some Silicon Valley officials are even calling for mandatory AI and computer science education in US schools as well.

So the debate is not really a simple picture of „China forcing children into AI“, but rather a global argument about what education should look like in an era of rapid AI emergence. Meanwhile, Chinese materials and specific projects suggest that the main goal is not to create an army of programmers, but to prepare the young generation for the technological society of the future, in the same way that schools have had to adapt to the advent of computers or the internet in the past.

gnews.cz - GH