Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.) is drawing attention after publicly praising China’s approach to integrating artificial intelligence into its national education system.
Gimenez made his remarks Wednesday during an appearance on NewsNation’s “The Hill,” hosted by Blake Burman, weighing in on a debate that is rapidly dividing American policymakers.
“I think in this case, I think Beijing actually has it right. As long as AI is not used to supplant your ability to learn, in other words, you have to learn the concepts, etcetera, etcetera,” Gimenez told Burman.
The Florida Republican argued that early exposure to AI tools would prepare American children for a future where the technology is unavoidable and deeply embedded in the workforce.
“What they’re saying is that, ‘At a young age, we’re teaching you what AI is all about and how it can be utilized and how you’ll be conversant, but you’ll be very, very agile with it in the future,’ which will put our children at a disadvantage because like it or not, AI is here,” he added.
His comments come as American cities and school districts wrestle with how, or whether, to introduce AI tools into classrooms at various grade levels.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently announced a one-year ban on AI use for K-8 students, placing the city among those taking a more cautious approach to the technology.
The contrast between New York City’s pause and China’s sweeping national strategy has sharpened the debate over whether American students risk falling behind their global peers.
Bloomberg reported in late June that China’s State Council unveiled a formal blueprint looking five years into the future, outlining a plan for AI to become a central skill for all students across every educational level.
That comprehensive national strategy stands in stark contrast to the fragmented, city-by-city approach currently unfolding across the United States, where local officials are making divergent decisions with little federal coordination.
Gimenez’s praise for a Chinese government policy is notable given the intense geopolitical rivalry between Washington and Beijing across technology, trade, and national security.
Critics of AI in classrooms often argue that early and unrestricted access to the tools can undermine students’ ability to develop foundational thinking and writing skills independently.
Gimenez acknowledged that concern, drawing a distinction between using AI as a learning aid versus allowing it to replace the core cognitive work that education is designed to develop.
The broader debate is unlikely to be resolved quickly, as school administrators, parents, lawmakers, and technology companies all hold competing interests in how AI enters American education.
