'Super students' ride tide of AI innovation

Opportunities, pressure

After graduating from Jiangsu Tongzhou Senior High School, Zhang Xuyi — who uses the name Daniel online — has enrolled in the Digital Media Art major at Communication University of China.

He started making videos in sixth grade, driven by curiosity about smartphones, computers and emerging technologies. He taught himself editing, scripting and production with simple equipment.

"At the beginning, making videos was never about gaining followers or building a future career. I simply enjoyed the process of turning an idea into something real that could be seen by other people," Daniel said.

Over the years, his interest grew from product reviews into exploring the people and ideas behind innovation. He has amassed more than 1.1 million followers across platforms, including 500,000 on Bilibili, with some videos receiving millions of views, and interviewed technology professionals and attended major industry events.

One experience that left a lasting impression was the chance to speak with then Apple CEO Tim Cook. Daniel was one of several young creators invited to interact with Cook during his visit to China in March. The encounter made him realize meaningful dialogue is not determined by age, but by preparation and independent thinking.

"Age itself does not decide whether a question has value. What matters is whether you observe the world carefully, develop your own thoughts and have the courage to ask meaningful questions," he said.

Attending technology conferences also changed how Daniel viewed his own role, from a student following tech news online to someone standing among engineers, industry professionals and media representatives.

Still, he does not see himself as fundamentally different from other teenagers. "I don't think I am more special than other students. I have simply chosen a path that is less common. My classmates may spend their time on sports, clubs or other interests, while I spend part of my time creating videos and exploring technology," he said.

In 2024, Daniel was named one of China's "New Era Good Youth", a national recognition program honoring outstanding young people. He has also produced public-interest content, including fraud prevention videos, and used AI tools to create family portraits for local residents.

As more teenagers explore AI and digital creation, Daniel believes the trend brings both opportunities and pressure.

Being labeled a "super student" is not about achieving success earlier than others, he added. "It is more about having the ability to keep growing, knowing why you started, and continuing to learn and adapt when things change," he said.

Ethical issues

The growing interest in AI education comes as China moves to integrate artificial intelligence into schools and learning environments. In April, the Ministry of Education and four other central government departments released an action plan calling for deeper integration of AI and education by 2030.

"We will build a general AI literacy system for all stages of education and for the whole of society," Zhou Dawang, director of the ministry's Department of Science, Technology and Informatization, said.

Chen Xiangdong, a professor at the Faculty of Education at East China Normal University, said tools such as large language models, opensource platforms and low-code development tools have allowed students to move from learning about AI to using it to solve real problems.

The biggest difference between traditional academic exercises and real projects is that real-world problems rarely come with clear answers, requiring students to identify what problem is worth solving, test different approaches and take responsibility for the results, Chen said.

"Real-world projects help students move from finding the correct answer to understanding real situations. They learn not only how to build something, but also why they build it and whom it should serve," he said.

He also pointed out that opportunities to participate in such projects are not open to all. Students who have access to expert guidance, advanced equipment and supportive environments enjoy more chances to experiment than others.

"The gap is no longer only about whether students can access technology. More importantly, it is about whether they can understand technology, evaluate its outputs and use it creatively," he said.

Chen also firmly believes that humanistic education in basic schooling needs to be strengthened, not weakened, in the AI era. AI education should also cultivate critical thinking, ethical awareness and independent judgment.

If education systems continue training students to copy knowledge and produce template answers, it risks reinforcing the very abilities AI can replace most easily, he said.

"AI can generate answers quickly, but education must help young people decide which questions are worth asking and which judgments cannot be handed over to machines. The stronger AI becomes, the more education needs to help them become people who don't easily hand over their own judgment," said Chen.