More than 250 prominent business leaders, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Etsy CEO Josh Silverman, and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, have signed an open letter urging policymakers to integrate artificial intelligence and computer science into core K-12 educational curriculum. Published Monday in The New York Times, the letter underscores the critical role these subjects play in safeguarding the nation’s future economic competitiveness.
The CEOs argue that while nations such as Brazil, China, South Korea, and Singapore have already mandated computer science and AI education in their national curricula, the United States lags behind significantly. Warning of the risks inherent in falling further behind, the signatories stressed the necessity for American students to gain the skills required not merely to consume technology, but to actively create and innovate within the AI ecosystem.
This initiative coincides with ongoing efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to develop and refine new U.S. national policies on artificial intelligence. Recent administrative actions include an executive order issued last week, focused on fostering partnerships between industry and academia, designed to accelerate the integration of AI education throughout K-12, higher education, and the broader workforce. The letter also arrives amid broader worries about impending federal budget cuts, which critics say could severely impact foundational research and training programs in artificial intelligence and related technological fields.
