The Download: smarter AI in schools, and a robot “carnival” in Shanghai
Schools are adapting to generative AI by focusing on teacher training and specialized tools rather than outright bans. Meanwhile, China is aggressively promoting humanoid robotics through public showcases to integrate AI into daily life.
Why it matters
These developments illustrate the global divergence in AI adoption, balancing educational integration with large-scale public robotics initiatives.
Plus: No one really knows how to safely test frontier AI models.
This is today's edition of The Download , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.
Chatbots took schools by surprise. Suddenly, students carried an app in their phones that could magically answer almost any homework question or spin up an essay in seconds.
Organizations ranging from OpenAI to UNESCO encourage AI use in the classroom, but many teachers aren’t sure how to handle it. Yet some promising approaches are emerging.
At Cheshire Academy, for example, teachers are trained on general techniques for using AI rather than prescribed tools. They use generative AI to prepare class materials, and one teacher has developed a traffic light system that tells students when they can use AI for assignments.
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