China Integrates AI into Elementary School Curriculum

In China, artificial intelligence is becoming a mandatory part of the curriculum for some elementary school students, according to NPR News and NPR Politics. As of January 27, 2026, fifth graders in Beijing are learning to program robots using AI.

Li Zichen, an 11-year-old student, demonstrated a remote-controlled robot that can lift and move blocks. The project sparked his interest in the rovers China has sent to Mars and the Moon. "If a rover comes across a crater in front of it, for instance, it can't decide what to do," Li Zichen said, according to NPR.

The integration of AI into the curriculum reflects a broader trend of technology shaping various aspects of life, from education to virtual communication. MIT Technology Review reports that in an era where business, education, and casual conversations occur via screens, sound has become a differentiating factor. Erik Vaveris, vice president of product management and chief marketing officer at Shure, and Brian Scholl, director of the Perception Cognition Laboratory at Yale University, view audio as a human factor shaping how people perceive intelligence, trustworthiness, and authority in virtual settings. "If you're willing to take a little bit of time with your audio set up, you can really get across the full power of your message," Vaveris said, according to MIT Technology Review.

MIT Technology Review also noted that large language models (LLMs) are becoming increasingly prevalent, with millions of people using them daily. Researchers are studying LLMs to understand how they work and their limitations.

In other news, Nature News reported that around half of captive koalas die from cancers associated with retroviruses. These viral invaders insert their DNA into the hosts genome, potentially disrupting gene activity.