House Republican: China ‘has it right’ on AI use in classrooms

Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) on Wednesday praised China’s use of artificial intelligence in classrooms .

“I think in this case, I think Beijing actually has it right. As long as AI is not used to supplant your ability to learn, in other words, you have to learn the concepts, etc., etc.,” Gimenez told NewsNation’s Blake Burman on “The Hill.”

“What they’re saying is that, ‘At a young age, we’re teaching you what AI is all about and how it can be utilized and how you’ll be conversant, but you’ll be very, very agile with it in the future,’ which will put our children at a disadvantage because like it or not, AI is here,” he added.

In late June, Bloomberg reported that China announced a formal plan for the incorporation of artificial intelligence in every educational level. Per the outlet, China’s State Council had unveiled a blueprint looking five years into the future that featured a plan for AI to become a central skill for all students.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) announced that the city “will implement a one-year moratorium on generative AI for students in 2-K through 8th grade.”

“The tech industry wants us to believe that AI in early education is not only inevitable, but that it is necessary,” the mayor said at a press conference.

“We do not see it that way. I have yet to see a study showing that AI is beneficial for students in elementary and middle school, with the exception, of course, of research sponsored by the very corporations that stand to profit,” he added.

Last month, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said that AI could be an advantageous tool for students in elementary though high school if schools and teachers use the technology correctly.