Editor's note: China is riding the wave of an AI-powered transformation. As AI reshapes industries and daily life, it is not only driving automation and increasing efficiency but also unlocking new possibilities. Xinhua hereby presents a series of six stories on the "new frontiers of AI applications," exploring how this technology is redefining sectors and enriching everyday experiences. The following is the second piece to explore how AI is offering new perspectives for students to transform education in China.
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Picture this: the classroom blackboard is replaced with a big screen, and students click on learning tablets to answer questions instead of writing with pencils. AI makes it a reality, offering novel learning pathways for Chinese students and bridging the urban-rural digital divide.
At a middle school in Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, English teacher Zeng Xing found AI had become a game changer during her 17 years of teaching, thanks to a smart classroom system developed by Chinese AI giant iFLYTEK.
Zeng assigns exercises to her students via teaching tablets in the classroom, and students can instantly submit their answers on their personal learning tablets. Simultaneously, the big screen at the front of the classroom shows the detailed answers of every student.
By analyzing results with AI and big data, the system enables Zeng to deliver tailored instructions that address the specific needs of each student. "We can now quickly identify students' weaknesses and make teaching plans accordingly, which is far more efficient than before," she said.
The smart classroom system also enables students to improve their speaking skills through personalized, interactive dialogues sourced from a vast database of English movies, news and poetry. AI can evaluate students' pronunciation and provide feedback, helping them speak more accurately and with greater confidence.
"AI has created opportunities for basic education in remote areas like Guizhou," said Huang Hui, head of the middle school in Guizhou Province, where complex terrain and challenging transportation systems limit educational resources.
AI-powered tools play a very important role in helping bridge urban-rural education gaps through expanding teaching resources and improving accessibility, Huang added.
Besides improving the effectiveness of classroom learning, AI also enriches students' extracurricular experiences.
At Tsinghua University Primary School, students participate in AI-assisted physical activities during break time. By simply waving their hands, they can activate smart sports equipment to track their exercise duration and frequency.
In addition to basic education, AI also has a significant impact on higher education. As Chinese AI assistant DeepSeek gains popularity, many colleges and universities have announced its integration into their server systems.
Colleges and universities, as innovation hubs and talent incubators, should actively embrace new technologies and take on a leading role, said Wang Lei, professor at Beijing Normal University's School of Government.
"When conducting scientific research, tasks like project design, mass data collection and literature collation are time-intensive," said Qian Minghui, who works at the Renmin University of China. "Using DeepSeek with a dedicated document database can greatly improve efficiency. It acts as a research assistant and is even able to help provide research clues and identify suitable partners."
The AI-led technological revolution brings major opportunities for education, China's Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng told Xinhua during an interview on the sidelines of the national legislature's annual session.
He revealed that China will release a white paper on AI education in 2025 to help equip students with enhanced literacy and skills for the digital and AI era.
Starting from the upcoming fall semester, primary and secondary schools in Beijing will offer at least eight class hours of AI instruction per academic year to students to nurture future-oriented and innovative talent.
Despite AI's advantages in transforming education, it also raises concerns about data security, privacy and academic integrity.
"It is crucial that we establish policies on AI usage, enhance technological oversight, and strengthen ethics education for teachers and students," said Tang Liang, deputy director of the information center at the Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences. ■
