ISTANBUL 

Sri Lanka has begun integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into school education, an official statement said.

The island nation’s Education Ministry signed an agreement with Microsoft on Tuesday to commence a pilot project to integrate AI into the school curriculum.

“This initiative will offer students above grade 8 the opportunity to delve into AI within the realm of Information Technology,” said the statement.

Education Minister Susil Premjayanth said Colombo expects to fully implement the program by next year.

Initially, the project will be rolled out in 20 schools across 20 districts, with a “commitment to provide conducive classrooms and necessary technical equipment.”

“A dedicated team from Microsoft will extend support to facilitate online educational activities,” it said.