The rapid development of new generation artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has created a shortage of suitably skilled graduates, which could become a major obstacle in taking AI development to the next level. To bridge this shortfall, Liu Qingfeng, Deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and iFLYTEK Chairman, suggested that AI training should be introduced in schools, to teach basic AI knowledge from as early as primary education level.

Specifically, Liu suggested integrating an AI literacy module as part of the basic curriculum and adding AI introductory courses and more specialized majors in AI knowledge at vocational and undergraduate level.

Liu also emphasized the importance of teacher training adapted to the AI age. At the beginning of this year, the MOE included AI-related knowledge in the new secondary education curricula, launched an “AI+ teacher workforce enhancement” initiative, and planned an “education informatization 2.0” campaign centering on smart education. To facilitate these measures, he further suggested a project aimed at building teacher capacity in applying AI in primary and secondary schools with a parallel scheme for teacher training.