Outlook Business Desk
Over 250 US CEOs, including Microsoft's Satya Nadella, Adobe's Shantanu Narayen and IBM's Arvind Krishna, have signed a petition urging the integration of computer science and AI into K-12 education, highlighting the nation’s lag in preparing students for an AI-driven future.
Countries like China, Singapore and South Korea have already mandated AI and computer science education, positioning themselves ahead in the technological race.
A single high school computer science course can boost wages by 8%, underscoring the economic benefits of early tech education as reported by Times of India.
Only 12 US states currently require computer science education, leading to persistent skills and income disparities in the nation.
The Petition calls for making computer science and AI education mandatory across all US K-12 schools to prepare students for a technology-driven world.
''In the age of AI, we must prepare our children for the future — to be AI creators, not just consumers. A basic foundation in computer science and AI is crucial for helping every student thrive in a technology-driven world. Without it, they risk falling behind.'' said CEOs.
"Implementing comprehensive tech education could unlock $660bn in economic potential annually, benefiting the broader US economy.'' said CEOs.
The CEO emphasises that immediate steps are necessary to integrate AI and computer science into the education system to maintain global competitiveness.