Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province, is set to make artificial intelligence studies compulsory for all primary and secondary school students beginning next semester; a bold step in the country’s race to dominate the AI frontier.
The city’s education bureau says the initiative will strengthen digital literacy among both students and teachers while building a long-term talent pipeline for the nation’s fast-growing tech sector.
Schools can tailor how they deliver lessons, either through dedicated AI weeks or by weaving the subject into existing courses like science and information technology.
Students will get hands-on exposure to AI concepts, from basic device interaction in early primary school to data protection, machine learning and robotics in higher levels.
Educators will also undergo training to integrate AI tools responsibly, with an emphasis on privacy and ethical use.
Hangzhou, home to innovators like DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, will require at least ten AI class hours per year, reflecting Beijing’s broader ambition to embed tech education early and counter global competition, particularly amid tightening U.S. trade restrictions.
