{"id":43977,"date":"2026-04-13T00:22:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T16:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=43977"},"modified":"2026-04-13T00:22:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T16:22:47","slug":"ai-literacy-mandatory-for-all-ntu-students-from-august-as-school-rolls-out-free-google-ai-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=43977","title":{"rendered":"AI literacy mandatory for all NTU students from August as school rolls out free Google AI tools"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">SINGAPORE \u2013 <!-- -->\u201cWhat do I have on today?\u201d Mr Caleb Yung asks his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/tags\/ai-chatbot?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">artificial intelligence-powered chatbot<\/span><\/a> on Telegram, which replies within a second with his full schedule for the day. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The 25-year-old tells the <!-- -->chatbot<!-- --> to add a lunch with his friend at 1.30pm, which it does in seconds, and then asks if he wants the event added to his calendar.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">This AI-powered personal assistant was created by Mr Yung, who studies computer and data science at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). <!-- -->He said it can also help him create study plans and give him a snapshot of the week ahead.<!-- --> <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Yung recognises that while his AI assistant may not be revolutionary, its true value lies in how it reduces his mental load. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">For students just starting out, he said the bots do not need to be sophisticated. Rather, the goal is to build simple tools that meet their specific needs, allowing them to delegate repetitive tasks and concentrate on more critical responsibilities.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"portrait inline-media-wrapper\" style=\"--aspect-article-portrait:1000 \/ 1280\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/3550b0d180b6e3f259480be26fdd9eec96615b24dfdd2c1cc93e09e052e33be5?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/3550b0d180b6e3f259480be26fdd9eec96615b24dfdd2c1cc93e09e052e33be5?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/3550b0d180b6e3f259480be26fdd9eec96615b24dfdd2c1cc93e09e052e33be5?w=900\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/3550b0d180b6e3f259480be26fdd9eec96615b24dfdd2c1cc93e09e052e33be5\" alt=\"\" class=\"aspect-portrait flex items-start shrink-0 portrait article-portrait object-contain mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 flex flex-col gap-08 py-16 desktop:pb-24\">\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular text-secondary\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">Mr Caleb Yung recognises that while his AI assistant may not be revolutionary, its true value lies in how it reduces his mental load.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular text-placeholder\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\">PHOTO: COURTESY OF CALEB YUNG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">To develop the AI agent, Mr Yung drew on skills picked up from his various classes on AI tools, including their ethical use.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">From <!-- -->August<!-- -->, the AI literacy lessons, currently taught only to computing students, will be mandatory for all NTU students. Students will also receive free access to a suite of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/politics\/singaporeans-to-receive-free-premium-ai-subscriptions-from-second-half-of-2026?ref=inline-article\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"gap-x-04 items-center inline text-primary-60 select-auto\" aria-label=\"link\" target=\"_blank\" data-testid=\"custom-link\"><span class=\"font-body-baseline-regular inline\" data-testid=\"paragraph-test-id\">premium Google AI tools<\/span><\/a>, including Gemini Enterprise for workplace automation, AI Studio for rapid app prototyping, and Vertex AI for managing large-scale AI systems.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Professor Christian Wolfrum, NTU\u2019s deputy president and provost, who oversees the initiative\u2019s academic strategy, <!-- -->said<!-- --> the tools allow students to do almost anything \u2013 from creating their own personal assistant, such as Mr Yung\u2019s, to building a research assistant that helps to synthesise academic papers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAI will be used as a tool \u2013 one that improves learning outcomes,\u201d Prof Wolfrum said, adding that students will be given computing credits to continually build their AI agents throughout their university life. \u201cIt can be for personalised learning, knowledge transfer or skills improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"portrait inline-media-wrapper\" style=\"--aspect-article-portrait:1020 \/ 1254\" data-testid=\"inline-media-test-id\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col items-start relative w-fit\"><picture><source media=\"(max-width: 480px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b009a0649c6eaf343e3a80be172a1655c464b75b18204b4622e384f75b50ae5e?w=480\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 720px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b009a0649c6eaf343e3a80be172a1655c464b75b18204b4622e384f75b50ae5e?w=720\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 721px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b009a0649c6eaf343e3a80be172a1655c464b75b18204b4622e384f75b50ae5e?w=900\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cassette.sphdigital.com.sg\/image\/straitstimes\/b009a0649c6eaf343e3a80be172a1655c464b75b18204b4622e384f75b50ae5e\" alt=\"\" class=\"aspect-portrait flex items-start shrink-0 portrait article-portrait object-contain mobile:w-auto tablet:w-auto\" data-testid=\"image-test-id\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption class=\"mobile:mx-16 tablet:mx-00 flex flex-col gap-08 py-16 desktop:pb-24\">\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular text-secondary\" data-testid=\"inline-media-caption-test-id\">The AI-powered personal assistant created by Mr Yung helps him create study plans and gives him a snapshot of his week ahead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-eyebrow-baseline-regular text-placeholder\" data-testid=\"inline-media-credit-test-id\">PHOTO: COURTESY OF CALEB YUNG<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The initiative aims to democratise AI across all disciplines, ensuring that even beginners can experiment with the technology. \u201cThis is the foundation where everyone will be exposed to the basics,\u201d Prof Wolfrum said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">He added that the driving force behind the move was the students themselves, who highlighted a growing \u201cAI divide\u201d between those who could afford premium subscriptions and those who could not, and between those who could use these tools and those who could not.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cMaybe 10 per cent of students know how to build agents already&#8230; but what about the other 90 per cent? They must learn this as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The<!-- --> lessons will be built into the curriculum of a core course that all students already have to take \u2013 Science and Technology for Humanity \u2013 in their first year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be a perfect product; it is more about students learning the process and understanding both the limitations and possibilities,\u201d Prof Wolfrum said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The roll-out is part of a larger push to integrate AI into 40 per cent of NTU\u2019s courses across all 52 undergraduate programmes by 2030. Currently, excluding computing-specific degrees, only 5 per cent of courses incorporate AI as a teaching tool or in assignments. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Its use will be expanded and intentionally worked into how courses are taught and assessed, said the university. Students will learn with AI tools designed by educators for specific learning outcomes, develop skills progressively across courses and be taught to use the technology responsibly and critically. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">One example is NALA, NTU\u2019s AI learning assistant. The platform lets educators create AI tutors trained on specific course materials, giving students immediate, tailored support.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Students will also get to work on real-world problems, using their very own AI agents to tackle them. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">But as the use of AI presents certain risks, Prof Wolfrum noted that the university has carefully assessed everything from data security to potential abuse.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Regarding the risk of a student abusing the system, Prof Wolfrum said that while there is always potential for misuse, such a risk existed even before the university\u2019s initiative.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Previously, students could buy their own licences and use AI without any institutional \u201cguard rails\u201d. By bringing the technology into the classroom, NTU can now work on teaching students to use it responsibly, he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">NTU\u2019s vice-provost, Professor Gan Chee Lip, said the university has its own set of guidelines and will ensure students learn 21st-century skills alongside the technology.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAt the end of the day, we know AI is still a tool, and that is important for us to remember. And in fact, we want to tell the students that they are the ones in control,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cUltimately, we are trying to ensure our graduates are developed holistically, but also equipped with the AI skills for the world that they will be going to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Prof Wolfrum said certain examinations will also remain offline, and in classrooms, lecturers are able to give or prohibit access to these tools at various points.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Regarding data privacy, which he cited as the most severe risk, Prof Wolfrum said NTU chose to partner with \u201chyperscalers\u201d such as Google because their established infrastructure offers superior security. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">By deploying these tools within a controlled, university-managed environment, NTU can ensure that data remains private and secure while focusing efforts on educating students to navigate the technology ethically, he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Ultimately, the introduction of AI levels the playing field for students across all disciplines and ensures they are workforce-ready, he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cIt\u2019s not optional anymore to just let them develop AI skills on their own,\u201d Prof Wolfrum said. \u201cI want this integrated into the curriculum (so) that when they exit, the employer doesn\u2019t have to teach them how to interact with an<!-- --> <!-- -->AI agent to solve the problems that they have encountered in the workplace,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cWe also want to really instil the ethics of using the tool,\u201d Prof Wolfrum said. \u201cA lot of effort will be spent on this so students become responsible users, and we will teach them this over four years.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Mr Yung said it was heartening to hear that more students outside computing will learn how to use these tools, especially since they will enter a workforce embedded with AI and requiring its use. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">Not everyone can afford to pay for a premium subscription to AI tools every month, he added. <!-- -->\u201cThis can be a limitation, which leads to unequal access to AI models.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">The standard Gemini Enterprise tier starts at <!-- -->US$30<!-- --> (S$38) a month.   <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cAI will never truly replace anybody, but someone who knows how to use it well just might,\u201d Mr Yung said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"font-body-baseline-regular text-primary\" data-testid=\"article-paragraph-annotation-test-id\">\u201cSo now, it\u2019s never really a question of whether you want to adopt AI. It\u2019s whether you learn to wield it before it becomes the standard you\u2019re measured against.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.straitstimes.com\/singapore\/parenting-education\/ai-literacy-mandatory-for-all-ntu-students-from-august-as-school-rolls-out-free-google-ai-tools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article At Source <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SINGAPORE \u2013 \u201cWhat do I have on today?\u201d Mr Caleb Yung asks his artificial intelligence-powered chatbot on Telegram, which replies within a second with his&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43978,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2611],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43977","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buzz-headlines","wpcat-2611-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43977","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43977"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43977\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/43978"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43977"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43977"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43977"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}