Nestled in Zhejiang province and home to innovation powerhouses like DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, Hangzhou is no stranger to cutting-edge tech. But this Autumn, the city is taking a bold step: AI education will become compulsory in all primary and secondary schools, marking a pivotal shift in how future generations will learn.
What’s Changing?
- Going forward, every student—from first grade to high school—must receive at least 10 hours of AI education annually. Schools can choose how to deliver it: as a standalone AI module, concentrated weekly lessons, integrated sessions in subjects like IT or science, or via engaging after‑school programs.
A Curriculum Growing with the Student
Hangzhou’s plan thoughtfully escalates in complexity by grade:
- Grades 1–2: Introduce students to everyday AI—think smart toys or voice assistants—and guide them on responsible and privacy-conscious use.
- Grades 3–4: Students use AI for creative tasks—gathering text, images, or audio—and build simple AI-informed projects under teacher guidance.
- Middle School: The curriculum deepens into the AI workflow—data prep, model training, and understanding core concepts like decision trees, neural networks, reasoning, and brute‑force search.
- High School: Students embark on project-based learning, designing AI systems and intelligent agents, honing both knowledge and real-world application.
Why Hangzhou Is Leading the Charge
This initiative reflects Hangzhou’s ambition to shape a future-ready generation—not only with technical know-how but also with ethical awareness. By embedding AI into education, the city positions itself as a cradle for tomorrow’s innovators and ensures digital literacy becomes as fundamental as reading and math.
What It Means for the Future
- Early exposure: Students will grow up understanding AI—not just as a tool, but as a technology with societal impact.
- Teacher readiness: With new competency standards in place, educators are being empowered to deliver both technical and ethical lessons effectively.
- Flexible implementation: Schools can adapt the delivery method to their resources—whether via intensive blocks, integrated curriculum, or extra-curricular clubs.
As AI continues transforming industries, equipping students early isn’t just smart—it’s essential. Hangzhou is planting the seeds for a future where AI literacy is universal, innovation is nurtured from childhood, and responsibility goes hand in hand with technological prowess.
