Alibaba Founder Jack Ma on AI and Children’s Education

February 1, 2026 - 20:19

In a rare public appearance, Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma emphasized the critical importance of steering children's education away from pure knowledge accumulation and toward creativity in the age of artificial intelligence. Speaking via video link at a gathering for his philanthropic foundation's Rural Teachers Program, Ma shared his perspectives on the profound challenges and opportunities AI presents for learning.

Ma argued that traditional educational models, which focus on teaching knowledge and facts, are becoming obsolete. He cautioned that machines will inevitably surpass humans in the sheer retention and calculation of information. The real battleground for the future, he suggested, lies in areas where humans hold a distinct advantage: wisdom, creativity, and critical thinking.

"Education must transform," Ma stated, urging educators to move beyond standardized methods. He believes the future of teaching should cultivate qualities that machines cannot replicate, such as independent thought, artistic sensibility, and problem-solving ingenuity. By fostering these innate human strengths, education can prepare children not to compete with AI, but to harness it as a powerful tool for innovation and progress. His comments serve as a call to action for a fundamental rethink of curriculum and teaching philosophy worldwide.