China’s six-year-olds are being offered AI classes in school—and now 250 CEOs want the lessons to come to America

• Microsoft, Airbnb and Uber CEOs are part of more than 250 business leaders who require IT and education of AI for all students. Not doing it could be an error of $ 660 billion and risking the United States that is more late in China and South Korea, they say.

The United States and China are in an artificial intelligence race – and the competition now extends to the classroom.

More than 250 CEOs, such as Satya Nadella from Microsoft, Brian Chesky from Airbnb and Dara Khosrowshahi d'Uber, have united their forces to ring the alarms that the United States is delaying in technological competitiveness, but they can be resolved, they say, making IT and technological education for each American student.

“In the AI ​​era, we must prepare our children in the future – be AI creators, not just consumers”, CEOs written in a letter sent to legislators this week. “A basic IT and AI base is crucial to help each student prosper in a world -oriented world. Without that, he may be late. ”

Exposing each member of Gen Alpha and Gen Z to technological education could bring a dramatic impact, according to CEOs; More than $ 660 billion in economic potential each year could be unlocked, and students wages would increase by 8%, regardless of career path or if they frequent the university.

The United States “delayed” with AI education

Compared to other nations, such as China and South Korea, the United States “late,” the CEOs said.

In the Chinese capital, the school and secondary schools should offer at least eight hours of AI lessons each academic year. Students as young as six years will soon learn of subjects such as how to properly use Chatbots and Ethics of AI.

By next year, South Korea plans Having trained all its teachers how to effectively use AI technology to transform the classroom, and the country has already started to deploy digital textbooks in students through the country in matters like English, mathematics and information.

Back in the United States, President Donald Trump recently signed a decree To promote the literacy of AI for each student, but it is not clear what the tangible results will be.

Despite calls for several decades to increase technological literacy, only 12 states have implemented a requirement for graduation in computer science and last year, only 6.4% of all secondary students enrolled in a computer course.

CEOs are concerned about the state of education

Both Liendin and the World Economic Forum Recently, concluded that the literacy of AI is the competence of AI which is experiencing the fastest growth necessary to succeed in the workplace. And technology leaders, like Sam Altman from Openai, agree that learning IA of AI is the most important capacity that students can master.

“The obvious tactical thing is to become really good for using AI tools,” said Altman Stratechery.

“Like when I graduated as a high school senior, the obvious tactical thing was to become really good in coding, and this is the new version of this.”

However, the world of education has not yet united on the best strategy for teaching young people. The meta-PDG Mark Zuckerberg recently went so far as to say that higher education in particular does not prepare students for the current and future labor market.

“I am not sure that the college prepares people for the jobs they need today. I think there is a big problem on this subject, and all the problems of student debt are … really important,” said Zuckerberg on the Last weekend podcast With Theo von.

For Code.org President, Cameron Wilson – who organized the strong letter of 250 CEO – The solution is simple:

“Computer science and AI unlock a door of skills that kindergarten students in the 12th year must prosper in an economy that changes per minute”, it said in a press release.

This story was initially presented on Fortune.com