News in Easy English: Japan plans more AI study at school
TOKYO -- Japan's education ministry made a draft plan for the next school curriculum guidelines. It released a short version of the draft on Aug. 31.
Japan's education ministry has released a draft plan for the next school curriculum guidelines, which includes a focus on artificial intelligence, or AI. The plan, released on August 31, discusses the use of AI in various school subjects and acknowledges both its benefits and risks. Students will be encouraged to engage in conversations with AI, particularly in foreign languages.
In mathematics and arithmetic, the plan emphasizes the importance of mathematical literacy to foster critical thinking skills that are not influenced by AI. In social studies, students will be taught to think independently, even when using AI. The ministry emphasizes that AI should be used wisely and not casually, which is why some parts of the plan include warnings.
To accommodate the new curriculum, junior high schools will introduce an "information and technology" subject, while elementary schools will have a new "world of information" lesson. However, the total number of standard class hours per year will remain the same, meaning that other subjects' class hours may decrease. ChatGPT 3 was released in 2022, and its successor, ChatGPT 5.5, has more advanced capabilities.
The curriculum guidelines are expected to be fully implemented from academic year 2030 or later, allowing AI to continue evolving during this time. Schools will need teachers with basic AI knowledge across various subjects.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
