AI

The Mindbrood Initiative has sought a strategic partnership with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to introduce an Artificial Intelligence (AI)–powered educational technology platform, aimed at enhancing learning through innovation and technology.

The proposal was presented during a courtesy visit of Mindbrood Initiative to the Council on Tuesday, 20th January, 2025.

Speaking at the meeting, the Founder of the Mindbrood Initiative – Mr. Godspower Omolere, explained that the organisation is currently developing the Sociometrics Framework and other educational tools designed to help young people understand societal fundamentals and grow into responsible, empowered citizens.

Mr. Omolere stated that the platform, which has been in development for over 10 years, leverages AI to assess students’ skills, generate personalised profiles, and provide insights through student assessment, data analysis and performance tracking.

He added that the initiative is keen on partnering with NERDC to benefit from its expertise in curriculum development.

According to him, “Given NERDC’s national mandate in curriculum development and educational standards, we believe this collaboration will ensure strong alignment with Nigeria’s educational goals, while providing students with modern framework for civic and socio-economic understanding.”

He further noted that the Mindbrood Initiative, which began 13 years ago as a book-focused project, has evolved into a technology-driven organisation developing innovative software solutions for individual profiling and educational development.

Responding, the Executive Secretary – Prof. Salisu Shehu, expressed appreciation to the Mindbrood team for the visit, noting that the initiative aligns with the Council’s research-focus in education.

While welcoming the proposal, he stated that the Council would study the project in detail, deliberate with management and determine possible pathways for integrating the platform into Nigeria’s education sector.

In his vote of thanks, the Head of Finance and Accounts – Mr. Charles Itodo commended the Mindbrood team for sharing their innovation and for enlightening the Council on the proposed educational application.

Members of the Mindbrood Initiative present at the meeting included the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Otumba James Udoma; Legal Adviser, Barr. Onyebuchi Ndiokwere; Adviser, Mr. Yemi Opesade; and a member, Mrs. Simar Linus.

NERDC officials in attendance were the Assistant Director of Finance and Head of the Consultancy Unit – Sir Justin Nwokedi; Head of the Policy and Programmes Unit (PPU) – Dr. Famade Oladiran; and the Legal Officer, Barr. Segun Daniels.

By Aminu Babayo Shehu

Nigeria is entering a period where technology is no longer optional for national development. Around the world, countries that once depended on natural resources are rapidly transforming their economies through innovation, high-tech manufacturing and knowledge-driven industries. Nigeria’s long-term plan, Nigeria Agenda 2050, recognises this reality. One of its key policy directions is to accelerate technology development across all sectors to increase the production of high-technology products. This policy is not simply aspirational. It is urgent, practical and necessary for economic survival.

For decades, crude oil has dominated Nigeria’s revenue base. Yet oil is a finite resource, prone to global price shocks and increasingly less attractive as the world shifts to renewable energy. Technology products, on the other hand, are expanding at a scale that dwarfs resource-based industries. The global tech market is projected to exceed $10 trillion over the next decade. Nations that embrace high-tech production are generating new wealth, attracting investment, and creating jobs at a pace unimaginable under traditional economies.

Countries such as South Korea, Singapore, India, and China were once struggling nations with limited natural resources. South Korea transformed from poverty to a top global economy by investing in electronics, telecommunications, robotics and semiconductors. Today, companies like Samsung contribute more to South Korea’s GDP than the entire oil sector contributes to Nigeria.

China shifted from low-wage manufacturing to high-tech dominance in areas such as electric vehicles, drones, AI, and telecommunications. Its tech exports now reshape global markets. India invested heavily in its tech talent, building the world’s largest IT outsourcing industry and becoming a leading hub for software engineering, fintech, and space technology. These countries show that consistent investment in research, innovation, and human capital produces national transformation.

Nigeria has the potential to make similar progress, but time is not on our side. The world will not wait for us. If we continue to rely on crude oil as our primary revenue source, we will fall even further behind. Our young population, one of the largest in Africa, is an asset only if it is empowered with digital skills, research opportunities, and innovative platforms. Otherwise, it becomes a liability.

High-technology production can reshape Nigeria’s economy in several ways. First, it will diversify national revenue and reduce the need for excessive borrowing. Countries with strong technology sectors generate significant income from intellectual property, digital services, hardware production, and global tech partnerships. Nigeria can do the same by promoting local manufacturing of electronics, renewable energy components, agri-tech equipment, medical devices, cybersecurity solutions, and AI-powered tools.

Second, investment in technology drives innovation across all sectors. Agriculture can be transformed through agri-drones, smart irrigation and data-driven farm management. Healthcare can be strengthened through telemedicine, diagnostic tools and biotechnology research. Security agencies can rely on surveillance drones, satellite imaging and digital intelligence rather than outdated methods. Education can be improved through digital learning platforms, simulation labs and computing infrastructure. These are the kinds of advancements that lift entire nations.

Third, high-tech development creates high-quality jobs. Instead of exporting raw materials, Nigeria can export advanced products and services. Instead of depending on foreign technology, we can build our own solutions. Instead of losing talented youth to migration, we can build an economy that retains and rewards them.

However, none of this will happen by accident. Nigeria must deliberately invest in research and development, strengthen universities and technical institutions, build innovation hubs, support local manufacturing, and fund STEM programs from primary school through postgraduate level. Policies must be consistent, leadership must be committed, and institutions must have the resources needed to produce world-class results.

If Nigeria takes the Nigeria Agenda 2050 technology policy seriously, we can transition from a raw-material exporter to a high-tech producer within a generation. But if we continue to postpone action, the cost will be grave. Nations that invest early in technology win the future. Nations that delay are left behind.

Nigeria has the talent, the population and the potential. What we need now is the political will and the investment to match our ambition. High-technology production is not just an economic option. It is the pathway to sovereignty, prosperity and long-term stability.

Aminu Babayo Shehu is a Software Engineer, Mobile Developer, and Technology Advocate. He can be reached at absheikhone@gmail.com.

By Rabi Ummi Umar

Technology has always been transformative, easing burdens, accelerating processes, and reducing the burden of human effort. The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is no exception. 

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), AI is projected to add $19.9 trillion to the global economy by 2030, representing 3.5% of global GDP. Small wonder nations are scrambling to embrace its promise, racing to uncover new applications and transformative capabilities across industries.

AI has simplified nearly everything, from routine office work to academic research. Yet, it embodies the very phrase “double-edged sword”. Like every innovation before it, it carries both promise and peril. Social media once dazzled with its vast resources for learning, but soon revealed its darker influence, with studies linking its overuse to declining academic performance. 

Could AI be following the same path? The questions now hang heavy: What is the result of excessive reliance on AI in journalism and communication? What happens to our collective intellect when we let machines think for us? Will AI make man redundant, or will it sharpen our creativity?

Already, teachers in secondary schools and universities lament students’ overdependence on AI. Before this wave, young learners combed through pages of books and libraries, piecing together assignments and research with sweat and patience. 

That very process gave them a broader horizon of knowledge. Now, the temptation is to let AI provide shortcuts. Is it truly an aid or a crutch? For journalism, the stakes are even higher. AI now creates deepfakes, fabricates news, disseminates disinformation, and facilitates copyright theft at an alarming rate. 

Fake content often passes for truth, staining reputations and distracting journalists from developmental reporting as they are forced instead into endless fact-checking.

Yes, using AI to polish grammar, punctuation, and spelling is helpful. But handing over the soul of reporting—the storytelling itself—to machines erodes accuracy, credibility, and that irreplaceable human touch. Readers can sense when a piece lacks heartbeat. 

Journalism, at its core, thrives on ethics, context, and empathy. AI cannot carry those values. The danger is clear: unchecked dependence on AI undermines the profession of communication. Anyone can now generate a passable article and publish it online, blurring the line between trained journalists and casual content creators. 

The profession risks losing its gatekeeping role if carelessly diluted. So, what does the future hold? Are we surrendering decades of built expertise to algorithms? Will there be a conscious regulation of AI use? How far are we willing to go to defend the integrity of journalism?

What is certain is that AI brings challenges but also opportunities. With discipline, ethical restraint, and wisdom, journalists can harness AI for richer storytelling without compromising their responsibility to the truth. 

The future of journalism in the AI era depends not on machines, but on the choices of those who hold the pen.

Rabi Ummi Umar can be reached via rabiumar058@gmail.com.

The Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN) has rounded off its 26th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Kaduna with strong calls for ethical regulation of artificial intelligence in healthcare and the elimination of harmful cultural practices that threaten public health.

The five-day hybrid conference, held at Arewa House from December 1–5, brought together 1,018 delegates from across Nigeria and beyond.

Discussions focused on the conference theme, “Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare,” alongside subthemes on reproductive health, harmful customs, medical ethics, palliative care, and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases.

Experts highlighted concerns about the rapid growth of AI technologies outpacing legal and religious guidance, the persistence of female genital mutilation and vaccine refusal, and the risk of AI reducing human compassion in clinical care.

Delegates also noted that cultural and religious misconceptions continue to hinder timely uptake of vaccinations, contraception, and modern treatment.

At the end of deliberations, IMAN resolved to push for Islamically grounded legal frameworks for AI and reproductive technologies, intensified collaboration with religious leaders to dispel myths, and stronger national ethical oversight of AI.

The Association also called for improved training of Muslim health professionals, development of AI-based accident-prevention systems, and expansion of telemedicine nationwide.

IMAN expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Sen. Uba Sani, Jigawa State Governor Mal. Umar A. Namadi, the Emir of Zazzau, and other health sector leaders for their support and hospitality.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Prof. Salisu Shehu, has renewed calls for a stronger embrace of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the country’s education system.

Prof. Shehu made the appeal during the AI in-Practice Forum held in Lagos on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025.

He thanked the organizers and participants, saying the gathering showed a shared national resolve to upgrade teaching and learning through new technological tools.

He explained that NERDC has made notable progress in introducing AI-related skills and concepts into the updated Basic and Senior Secondary Education Curriculum.

He restated the Council’s commitment to expanding innovation driven by AI within the school system.

According to him, the revised curriculum now features vital digital knowledge areas such as coding, programming, artificial intelligence and robotics, among others.

He said these additions are aimed at preparing young Nigerians for opportunities in a fast-changing digital era.

Prof. Shehu also commended the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for its steady partnership with NERDC in producing the Digital Literacy Curriculum for Basic Education.

He praised NITDA for helping shape the country’s digital learning framework and stressed the need to strengthen this cooperation.

He appealed to NITDA to widen its collaboration with NERDC, especially as the Digital Literacy Curriculum and the Digital Technologies Curriculum move into the implementation phase.

He pointed out that developing a curriculum is a major step, but effective delivery calls for continuous teamwork, capacity enhancement, infrastructure and coordinated support at national level.

The Executive Secretary attended the forum with his Special Assistant (Technical), Dr. Garba Gandu, and the Head of the Policy and Programmes Unit, Dr. Oladiran Famade. Both officials were acknowledged for playing key roles in NERDC’s digital advancement efforts.

The AI in-Practice Forum brought together specialists, government representatives, educators and technology stakeholders.

The event focused on practical measures for expanding AI use in Nigerian schools and added to ongoing efforts to prepare learners for the demands of the future.

By Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu

When most people hear the phrase “Artificial Intelligence” (AI), their minds often drift toward futuristic fantasies: robots that think like humans, machines plotting to overthrow their creators, or computers smarter than their inventors. Science fiction has fed us these images for decades. Yet, beyond Hollywood thrillers, AI is already here, quietly shaping the world around us. It answers customer queries through chatbots, selects the next movie you’ll watch on Netflix, predicts what story appears at the top of your newsfeed, and even decides whether a bank approves your loan.

But this growing presence of AI in our daily lives forces us to confront a pressing question: how intelligent is artificial intelligence?

The honest answer is that AI is not a brain. It is not some mystical creation that understands, feels, or reasons like humans do. What appears to be “thinking” in AI is essentially mathematics—machines processing massive datasets, detecting patterns, and making predictions based on those patterns. Take medicine, for instance. AI can analyse thousands of X-rays or MRI scans in minutes, flagging possible signs of disease with astonishing speed. Yet, it does not comprehend illness, nor does it share in the burden of delivering a life-changing diagnosis. It only “sees” shapes, signals, and recurring features in data.

This distinction raises a critical debate: Is AI genuinely intelligent, or is it just an extraordinary mimic?

Human intelligence is not simply about solving problems or recalling information. It is a rich blend of memory, imagination, intuition, creativity, and moral reasoning. It includes the ability to feel empathy, wrestle with ethical dilemmas, or create art that expresses the soul. AI has none of these. It has no emotions, no conscience, no instinct for right and wrong. When it generates a song, writes an essay, or navigates a self-driving car, it is not exercising creativity or judgment. It is reproducing patterns learned from the data it has been trained on.

Yet, to dismiss AI as a hollow imitation would be unfair. Its capabilities, in specific domains, far exceed human performance. Banks now rely heavily on AI systems to monitor millions of transactions, detecting fraud almost instantly —a feat that no team of human auditors could achieve at the same scale. In agriculture, AI-driven weather forecasts and soil sensors enable farmers to predict rainfall, manage crops effectively, and enhance food security. In education, adaptive learning platforms can tailor lessons to meet each student’s unique learning style, giving teachers powerful tools to reach struggling learners. These are not gimmicks; they are reshaping how we live, work, and think.

Still, with such benefits come significant dangers. The real problem arises when society overestimates AI’s intelligence, attributing to it a wisdom it does not possess. Algorithms are only as good as the data they consume, and data is often flawed. Recruitment systems trained on biased records have been caught replicating discrimination, silently excluding qualified women or minorities. Predictive policing tools fed with skewed crime statistics risk unfairly targeting entire communities, reinforcing cycles of distrust and marginalisation.

Even more worrying is the human temptation to outsource too much decision-making to machines. When schools, governments, or businesses heavily rely on AI, they risk eroding human capacity for critical thinking. Societies that allow machines to make moral or civic decisions run the risk of dulling their own judgment, a peril that no amount of computing power can rectify.

This is why interrogating the “intelligence” of AI is not just an academic exercise; it is a civic responsibility. Policymakers must move beyond lip service and regulate how AI is designed and deployed, ensuring that it serves the public good rather than private profit alone. Technology companies must become more transparent about how their algorithms operate, particularly when these systems impact jobs, justice, and access to essential services. Citizens, too, have a role to play. Digital literacy must become as fundamental as reading and writing, empowering people to understand what AI can and, crucially, what it cannot do.

Ultimately, the irony of AI is this: the real intelligence lies not inside the machine but in the humans who create, guide, and govern it. AI can calculate faster than any brain, but it cannot care about the consequences of those calculations. It can analyse data at lightning speed, but it cannot empathise with the human beings behind the numbers. That is the dividing line between computation and compassion, between efficiency and wisdom.

If we maintain this distinction, AI will remain a powerful tool that amplifies human potential, rather than one that diminishes it. The smartest move is to resist the illusion that machines are thinking entities and instead recognise them for what they are: products of human ingenuity, useful only to the extent that we wield them responsibly.

Ultimately, the future of AI will not be dictated by algorithms, but by people. The question is not whether AI can become truly intelligent; it cannot. The real question is whether humans will remain wise enough to use it well.

Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu writes on disaster management, humanitarian response, and national development.

By Anwar Usman

The chief of naval staff, Idi Abbas, has said that the Nigerian Navy will adopt advanced technology, including drones and artificial intelligence, to modernise its operations and tackle maritime crime across the country’s waterways.

Speaking during his screening by the senate on Wednesday, Abbas said the navy would prioritise technological innovation over traditional fuel-heavy patrols for smarter, faster, and more cost-efficient approach to maritime security.

He stated that, “We will incorporate more technology, including the use of drones, to tackle maritime crime.” “A lot of resources are currently wasted fuelling boats to reach remote areas. Technology will help us respond faster and more effectively.”

He further stated that, the navy was fully committed to improving operational efficiency and reducing costs through innovation, adding that surveillance tools would be central to preventing oil theft and illegal bunkering.

“We already have structures in place to curb maritime crimes, but I intend to incorporate more technology, especially drones,” he said.

Abbas, while responding to a question from Olamilekan Solomon, senator representing Ogun west and senate committee chair on appropriation, said oil theft persists mainly in hard-to-reach creeks and coastal areas.

He also revealed that “the theft may appear minimal individually, but when accumulated, it becomes substantial. We’re exploring drone technology to monitor and control these leakages.”

Abbas reaffirmed the navy’s commitment to its total spectrum maritime strategy, which, he said, addresses major security challenges such as piracy, oil theft, kidnapping, and banditry.

Recall that, Tinubu nominated Abbas as chief of naval staff; Olufemi Oluyede as chief of defence staff; Wahidi Shaibu as chief of army staff; Kennedy Aneke as chief of air staff; while Emmanuel Undiendeye was retained as chief of defence intelligence.

By Hauwa Mohammed Sani, PhD

I thought I was making a simple, kind gesture—choosing an older gentleman’s cab late one night after a long flight. I figured it would be an easy ride. What unfolded next wasn’t just a navigation problem; it was a bizarre, real-time collision between the old way of the world and the new, AI-driven one. This true story of a taxi ride truly happened to me last week.

​It was late, the kind of late where the airport lights look sickly and the air is thick with fatigue. I needed a ride. Looking over the line of sleek, modern taxis, my eye landed on one driven by an old man—a true gentleman of the road, old enough to be my own grandfather. A small surge of pity, mixed with a desire to give him the fare, made me choose him. Little did I know, I wasn’t just hopping into a cab; I was walking into a generational drama.

​The man knew the general area of my destination, but finding the exact estate became an odyssey. We drove, we turned, we asked passersby—a frantic, real-world search in a fog of darkness and street names. Frustrated, I reviewed the apartment information on my phone and saw a contact number within the address details. I called it.

​The voice on the other end was bright and American. “Oh, that’s my apartment, but I live in the U.S.,” she cheerfully informed me. “I’ll have someone call you.”

​True to her word, a local contact called back. “I’ve sent you the location,” she said. “Just Google it.”

​And there was the rub. My driver—a man whose mind held a living map of the city’s every alley and backstreet—and I, a modern traveller, stared at each other. Neither of us was familiar with using Google Maps.

​The poor old man was desperate. “What are the landmarks? Describe the building!” he pleaded into the night air. The girl on the phone, however, was stubbornly one-dimensional: “Just follow the GPS. Google the location.”

​That’s when it hit us both. In that moment, the taxi cab became a time capsule. Here were two people operating on landmarks, intuition, and human description, battling against an AI generation that has completely outsourced its sense of direction. Simple communication—a left at the bakery, a right past the big tree—was utterly lost.

​The driver was absolutely fuming. He kept grumbling, “Where is our sense of reasoning? They’re being machine is programming them!” To him, this reliance on tech wasn’t progress; it was the crippling of a fundamental human skill. He saw creativity and simple reason dying, replaced by a glowing screen that gives an answer but can’t hold a conversation.

​We eventually found the place, not by Google, but by a final, desperate, human description from a local. But the lesson lingered: Technology is fantastic, but sometimes, when it replaces basic common sense, it really can feel useless. We need to remember how to read the world, not just the map.

The Climax: The Race for the Flight

The next day, it was time for my return. The old man—who I now affectionately called Papa—had promised to pick me up. He came, but he was late. I kept calling, reminding him of my flight and the town’s busy roads. He assured me we would take an “outskirt” route with no traffic.

We found otherwise.

The clock was racing, and the roads were choked. In his confusion, the poor man even pulled into a station to buy fuel, a detour that felt catastrophic. But the beautiful part? He kept accepting his mistakes. He was frantic, not defensive. We kept running against the clock, fueled by mutual anxiety.

By the time we reached the terminal, the counter was closed.

“Hajiya,” he said, using the Hausa honorific reserved for me, the Yoruba man’s passenger. “Don’t worry about the fare. Just run. Run and make your flight first.”

I rushed in and had to beg the counter staff to issue my ticket. I became the last passenger on the flight, all thanks to a desperate sprint.

The Unbreakable Trust

A display of profound, inter-tribal trust eclipsed that moment of panic. Here was Papa, a Yoruba man, sending off Hajiya, a Hausa woman, without a dime for his service, instructing me not to worry about payment until I was safely at my destination.

He kept calling me after I took off, checking on my travel and praying I made my connection. Not once did he mention money.

It wasn’t until I reached out and said, “Papa, please send me your account details,” that the drama of the day resumed (as expected, getting that detail was another adventure!). But in the long run, I paid Baba a generous amount—one he met with a flood of heartfelt prayers for my future.

This journey, from a confusing GPS battle to a race against the clock, taught me the most significant lesson: amidst all the conflict and generational friction, there is still peace and trust in connection. 

As I work on our research for the University of Essex London on conflict resolution and prepare for my ‘Build Peace’ conference in Barcelona, I realise that sometimes the greatest examples of peace aren’t in treaties, but in a simple promise between a Yoruba taxi driver and his Hausa passenger.

Hauwa Mohammed Sani, PhD, teaches at the Department of English and Literary Studies, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

By Fatima Badawi

Scholars, educators and policymakers converged at Bayero University, Kano this week for the 5th International Conference of the Nigeria Centre for Reading Research and Development (NCRRD). Held under the theme “Reading Research and Practice: The Implication of Artificial Intelligence,” the conference examined how AI-driven technologies are reshaping reading instruction, literacy assessment, publishing and access to texts across Nigeria and the larger Global South.

The opening session featured a keynote address delivered in absentia by Dr. Aminu Maida, who was represented on the platform by Dr. Isma’il Adegbite. Dr. Maida, who currently serves as a leading figure in Nigeria’s technology and telecommunications space, set the tone by urging researchers and practitioners to treat AI as both an opportunity and a responsibility: a tool that can expand access to reading materials and personalized learning, but one that must be governed by inclusive policy and literacy-centred design.

The conference’s intellectual programme was anchored by lead papers from eminent figures in Nigerian education and development. Professor Sadiya Daura, Director General of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), presented her lead paper on teacher preparation for AI-enhanced classrooms, arguing that pre-service and in-service teacher education must integrate digital literacies and critical appraisal of algorithmic tools. Professor Mohammed Laminu Mele, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, addressed infrastructure and equity, highlighting that without targeted investment in connectivity and localized content, AI risks widening existing literacy gaps in underserved communities.

Furthermore, in her remarks, Professor Amina Adamu, Director of the Nigeria Centre for Reading Research and Development, framed the conference’s aims around actionable outcomes: stronger university–school partnerships, pilot programmes that deploy AI tools for mother-tongue reading instruction, and an ethics working group to develop guidelines for the use of automated assessment and adaptive reading platforms. In her remarks Professor Adamu emphasised the Centre’s commitment to research that is directly useful to classrooms and communities in Northern Nigeria. She also commended and thanked all the partners who are always there for the Centre right from its inception to date. Some of the International and Local partners who participate in the conference include; QEDA, Ubongo, NERDC, UBEC, Plain, USAID among many others.

Some of the panel discussions explored concrete applications: on how AI-assisted text-to-speech and speech-to-text for low-resource languages; automated item generation for formative reading assessments; and data-driven reading interventions that preserve local genres and oral traditions rather than replacing them. Most of the papers presented during the event stressed that technology pilots must be accompanied by teacher coaching, community engagement and open-access content.

Participants included university academics, representatives from teacher education institutions, ministry officials, civil society literacy advocates and publishing professionals. The conference closed with a call for a multi-stakeholder roadmap: investment in localized datasets and annotated corpora for Nigerian languages, professional development pathways for teachers, and research ethics protocols to ensure that AI systems amplify, rather than marginalize, local knowledge and reading practices.

Organisers said the 5th NCRRD conference will feed into pilot projects and policy briefs to be shared with educational authorities and development partners. Delegates left with a clear message: AI’s promise for reading and literacy is real, but realising it will require literate design, purposeful investment and a sustained partnership between researchers, teachers and communities.

By Muhammad Abubakar 

China has taken a significant step in preparing its next generation for the digital future by introducing artificial intelligence (AI) education across primary and secondary schools. 

The Ministry of Education has announced that AI will now be included in the national curriculum, with lessons ranging from basic coding and machine learning concepts to discussions on the ethical implications of technology.

Officials say the program aims to build students’ digital literacy and give them early exposure to skills critical in the 21st-century economy. 

Pilot projects in cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen have already shown strong interest, with students using AI-powered tools in mathematics, language learning, and creative projects.

Educators emphasise that the initiative is not only about technical training but also about fostering innovation, problem-solving, and responsible use of emerging technologies. “We want our children to understand AI as both a tool and a responsibility,” said an education ministry spokesperson.

The move reflects China’s broader ambition to lead in AI development globally, while also addressing concerns that young people must be equipped to navigate a rapidly changing technological landscape.