Beijing Aims to Train AI Experts Starting in Primary School

As China intensifies its tech race with the United States, Beijing is turning to education to gain a competitive edge. Less than two months after unveiling its new national AI strategy, the Chinese capital has announced a groundbreaking reform: the introduction of AI courses starting in primary school.

It’s not the number of hours that stands out, but how early China plans to begin shaping its next generation of AI talent: as early as primary school.

Starting in September 2025, all primary and secondary schools in Beijing will be required to offer at least eight hours of AI education per school year, according to the city’s education commission.

The stated goal is clear: to nurture a new wave of tech-savvy students who can one day compete with - or surpass - their Western counterparts, as China races to close the gap in global AI leadership.

To support this mission, schools will introduce innovative tools such as AI research assistants, intelligent agents, and learning companions, fostering early interaction between students and machine-learning technologies.

This educational shift comes amid a broader political push: President Xi Jinping has recently renewed his support for the domestic tech sector, identifying artificial intelligence as a strategic pillar of China’s future global competitiveness.

Much of this momentum centers around DeepSeek, a Chinese chatbot that has impressed experts and is seen as a viable - and more affordable - challenger to ChatGPT.

Beyond classrooms, an entire ecosystem is taking shape. New partnerships between schools and universities aim to create a homegrown pipeline of AI talent.

One thing is clear: China’s next big tech offensive may very well begin in the schoolyard.