AI is about to change the world, but who will change AI? — Stanford University Professor Fei-Fei Li
According to AI4k12.org, an organization formed by the American Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), there are four compelling reasons presented in 2019 advocating for K-12 students (from 1st grade to 12th grade) to learn AI (Artificial Intelligence) now:
Reason 1: AI plays an increasingly crucial role in today's society, including smartphone voice assistants, autonomous vehicles, and intelligent robots in the workplace (sometimes at home).
Reason 2: Future citizens need to understand the basic knowledge of how our society applies AI and how essential public policies related to AI technology are made.
Reason 3: AI technology will lead to unemployment in certain fields while creating new employment opportunities in others.
Reason 4: Due to the growing demand for workers with AI knowledge in society, students should be encouraged to learn in a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) context from an early age.
In response to the AI trend, the Ministry of Education has also added the "Curriculum Guidelines for Technology Education" in the 12-Year Basic Education Program. In the new 108 curriculum, "Programming" is listed as a required course for both junior and senior high schools. The aim is to cultivate computational thinking, logical thinking, and systematic thinking through the learning of computer science-related skills.