A Holistic Understanding of Chinese Children's Artificial Intelligence Literacy: An Exploratory Study

Artificial intelligence has undergone an iterative evolution from “reactive” to “discriminative” to “generative,” with its penetration into society becoming increasingly widespread. As a result, the cultivation of children's artificial intelligence literacy has become increasingly important. China's unique technological ecosystem, cultural context, and government priorities provide a favorable backdrop for research. However, we know little about the mechanisms and content of AI literacy development among Chinese children. In this exploratory study, we conducted interviews with children from different regions of China through both online and offline methods. Through coding analysis of the interview records, we found that Chinese children develop a series of skills through a bidirectional interaction between “cognition and behaviour.” After independently mastering these skills, children internalize AI literacy. Based on this, Chinese children's AI literacy can be categorized into cognitive‐associated literacy, behavioral‐associated literacy, and skill‐associated literacy. These findings provide insights for establishing a child‐centered framework for AI literacy.