Are China’s children winning the AI race?

In a bright, bustling kindergarten classroom, a group of four-year-olds sat eagerly at small desks. Before them were tablets, not coloring books. Their assignment? Create a ten-page illustrated storybook using artificial intelligence.

One child, ponytailed and focused, frowned at her screen and said, “No, this isn’t right.” A voice-activated bot that speaks to her in Mandarin, asked for corrections, and moments later, a new story version appeared — closer to what she imagined. She giggled, said “yes,” and moved on to the next part of the story.