Artificial intelligence (AI) has sparked intense debate in academic circles, where some see it offering great promise for improving efficiency while others worry it is eroding critical thinking and job opportunities. There is broader agreement that the technology is here to stay and that understanding it will be essential to remaining competitive on the global stage.

So it was a timely and pragmatic step for Hong Kong to require teachers to complete at least 30 hours of digital education training every three years under a new programme to boost the use of such technology in schools. The mandate came with the unveiling of the Blueprint for Digital Education Development in Primary and Secondary Schools compiled by the Curriculum Development Council. Announcing the move on June 17, the Education Bureau also disbursed a one-off grant of HK$500,000 (US$63,800) to all publicly funded schools to launch a three-year plan for school-based AI-empowered education measures and for AI teacher training.

The new training commitment should not be viewed as a bureaucratic burden, since it should easily fit into the existing mandatory 150-hour professional development cycle teachers must complete every three years. One potential challenge, however, will be managing training programmes that will succeed with the wide range of backgrounds and motivation levels among educators.

Some schools are wisely exploring ways to designate tech-savvy “seed teachers” to mentor their peers so the entire faculty feels empowered rather than overwhelmed. The ultimate goal of such efforts must also be to support students. AI holds promise as a way to foster tailored learning through improved tracking of progress and requirements – a particular benefit for special-needs students.

There is no time to lose in investing in educators’ digital literacy. A recent survey found that 95 per cent of students used AI and nearly one in four struggled to do homework without it. Digital exams are being gradually rolled out. Investing in a future where AI is more of a help than a hindrance in classrooms is wise. Now, the authorities, teachers and parents must work together to ensure the money and time for new education digital initiatives is well spent.