Generation AI: Schools in Asia are embracing artificial intelligence

Schools in China are increasingly using and teaching AI as its government looks to build the country's prowess in artificial intelligence. (AFP: Chen Bin/Xinhua)

Anaiya Singhvi loves school, but she often finds chemistry tough going.

"It's kind of hard to visualise in real life since it's about molecules and atoms," the Singapore-based secondary school student said.

Anaiya Singhvi uses AI in her studies with some guidance from her father, Vishal. (Supplied: Vishal Singhvi)

The 15-year-old uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like Google's Notebook LM to explain concepts, summarise documents and answer her questions when studying at home.

Singapore is one of several Asian countries fast adopting AI in education.

At Saint Anthony's Canossian Secondary School, where Anaiya studies, the chemistry department uses AI to help students identify topics to focus on, based on their incorrect answers in practice exams.

"I'm now able to do targeted revision in the topics I am weaker in, rather than studying all of them," she said.

Anaiya Singhvi is passionate about animal welfare and sustainability, and says learning to use AI will help as she pursues a career in these fields. (Supplied: Vishal Singhvi)

Elsewhere in Asia, nations have declared their ambitions to use and teach AI in schools as they jostle to lead a global race for dominance in the technology.

Parts of China are making it compulsory, with some schools required to teach at least six hours of AI education a year for lower-grade students, and one hour a fortnight for higher grades.

But in some countries, ambitious plans to roll out AI tech in schools have met backlash.

The push to bring AI into schools also coincides with emerging research about the technology's potential risks for students, particularly their creativity and critical thinking.

A report by the US-based Brookings Institution's Center for Universal Education in January found the risks of using AI in education currently "overshadow" the benefits.

That was mainly because those risks "undermine children's foundational development", it said.

The study used interviews, focus groups and consultations with 500 students, parents, teachers and technology experts in 50 countries and reviewed more than 400 studies.

Among the concerns it raised was AI's impact on cognitive development as students "off-loaded" mental tasks.

Australian students have recorded their worst-ever results in national tests that measure digital literacy.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says there is "growi