China has announced that starting September 2025, learners at both primary and secondary school levels will be required to take artificial intelligence (AI) lessons.
According to Education Minister Huai Jinpeng, students will be expected to dedicate at least 8 hours annually to AI studies, with children as young as six years old beginning their journey into the world of AI.
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This move, Jinpeng noted, aims to cement China’s global leadership in artificial intelligence and technology. The goal is to achieve full integration of AI courses across schools by 2030.
Earlier in 2025, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek caused a stir when it unveiled a system delivering results comparable to ChatGPT but built with only a fraction of the resources.
Young learners in China will be introduced to the basics of AI, while older students in secondary school will take on more advanced tasks, including real-world AI projects.
These lessons may either be integrated into existing subjects like science and mathematics or introduced as standalone subjects.
Meanwhile, in Kenya, AI adoption is growing steadily, but the Ministry of Education has yet to mandate AI studies in the national curriculum.
In the United States, states such as California have already expressed readiness to embed AI skills into their curricula, aiming to equip students with knowledge and tools to participate in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
