China’s AI education experiment

Pilot schools in China are already using AI to evaluate children’s artwork, monitor their facial expressions during class and screen them for psychological problems – and the Ministry of Education (MOE) wants schools across the country to follow suit.

Integrating AI into the education system has quickly become a top priority for China’s central government, which is betting that AI tools can address China’s vast educational inequalities and make the next generation of workers more productive. The State Council highlighted education as a key focus area “AI+” planIt was mentioned in the 15th Five-Year Plan and published by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in May 2025 a white paper on the topic of AI for education. This MOE document proclaims that the year 2025 marks the beginning of an era (“智慧教育元年”), the beginning of a system-wide effort to “smartize” school education using AI tools. The goal of the MOE: the universalization of basic AI access in primary school and …