China strives introduces AI courses in Chinese education

World
Europe

China hopes to become a world leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030. To reach the goal basic knowledge of AI needs to become the main resource for primary and high school students.

China recently published the first AI textbook for high school students. The goal is to help reduce the gap in the global AI talent pool by cultivating the next generation of university students.

The Artificial Intelligence Foundation (High School Edition), published in April 2018, which was launched after the State Council requested that AI-related courses be included in primary and secondary education.

A child tests an AI product. /VCG Photo

AI is the process of machine simulation of human intelligence, including learning, reasoning, and self-correction. It is developing with robotics and virtual reality as a transformative business force. The global business value derived from AI is expected to hit 3.9 trillion US dollars by 2022, according to a forecast by research house Gartner in April this year.

A recent report from the Tencent Research Institute pointed out that the United States leads other countries in both the quantity and quality of AI talents. China listed this area as its priority development area in 2017 though, it is hard for the country to solve talent shortage in the short term.

The demand for AI professionals in China may surge to 5 million in a few years’ time, according to a December 2017 report published by the People’s Daily, which cited Zhou Ming, a vice director of education at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

The author of the textbook is Tang Xiaoou, a professor of information engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and co-founder of the world’s most valuable AI startup, SenseTime Group. The book details the history of artificial intelligence and some of its major applications, such as public security systems that enable use facial recognition systems and automated driving.

According to the report, about 40 high schools in China, mainly in developed cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, have already cooperated with SenseTime Technology and become the first participants in the AI high school education pilot project.

A recent search on JD.com revealed that the book is currently sold out. The book was co-edited by the Mooc Center of East China Normal University with input from teachers of six middle schools in Shanghai.

“The 40 high schools are just a beginning. We will also introduce artificial intelligence courses to more schools across China,” said SenseTime.

SenseTime raised 600 million US dollars from Alibaba Group Holding, and other investors at a valuation of more than 3 billion US dollars, according to a company statement in April, South China Morning Post reported.