China Makes AI Education Mandatory in Primary & Secondary Schools

Starting September 2025, China’s schools will teach AI to every student, from age 6 to high school, aiming to build a future-ready generation.

In a bold move to position itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence, China will mandate AI education for all primary and secondary school students beginning September 1, 2025. The new policy requires even 6-year-olds to begin learning about AI as part of the national curriculum.

According to a statement shared by Beijing, students across all grade levels will receive a minimum of eight hours of AI instruction annually. Lessons will be age-appropriate, with younger students engaged in hands-on activities and basic concepts, while older students will explore more advanced topics and real-world applications.

The AI content may be embedded into existing subjects such as science, technology, and mathematics, or taught independently depending on the school’s structure. Educational experts say this approach ensures that AI literacy becomes as fundamental as reading, writing, and arithmetic in China’s education system.

This initiative is part of China’s broader strategy to cultivate a tech-savvy generation and secure its long-term competitiveness in the global AI race. By introducing AI at such an early stage, China hopes to produce innovators, researchers, and engineers who can drive forward breakthroughs in machine learning, robotics, automation, and other emerging technologies.

Long-Term Vision
The government believes that introducing AI education early will reduce the learning curve later in life and inspire interest in STEM careers from a young age. It also reflects China’s investment in future-proofing its economy by ensuring its population is not just AI consumers, but creators and leaders in the field.

A Global Signal
China’s AI curriculum rollout sends a strong signal to the international community. While other countries are still debating the role of AI in education, China is moving full steam ahead, embedding it into the foundational years of learning.