Questions like "Where can I find an AI training course?" and "How can I learn artificial intelligence from scratch?" are common across major social media platforms. The challenges of where to learn, how to learn, and how to use AI trouble many people. To address this pain point, Changzhou, a city with a trillion-dollar economy, has taken action.
Recently, Changzhou issued the "Implementation Plan for the 'Artificial Intelligence Night School' Full-Coverage Training Work" (referred to as the "Implementation Plan"), calling for "creating a wave of all-member learning and application of artificial intelligence." The plan aims to conduct "AI+" training across all sectors of society, industries, and fields.
"Currently, various regions across the country are promoting talent cultivation and training in AI, and AI has become a universal, general-purpose tool. Changzhou has a fine tradition as a learning-oriented city, and the municipal party committee and government attach great importance to this, hence initiating this work," said Pan Yixin, a staff member from the office of the Changzhou Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, in a recent statement.
Beyond Changzhou, in recent years, cities including Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Nantong have launched artificial intelligence training policies targeting specific industries or the general public, promoting AI education "into schools, communities, and enterprises." This has fostered a widespread AI training trend where "learning AI is just a trip downstairs."
Setting a Target of One Million Trainees
Against the backdrop of the AI wave sweeping across all industries, Changzhou's recent move to promote AI training for all citizens has garnered significant attention.
"To accelerate the building of a national demonstration city for 'Intelligent Agents + Scenario Applications' and foster a wave of all-member learning and application of artificial intelligence, our city will carry out 'AI+' training work across all sectors of society, industries, and fields," the Changzhou Implementation Plan states. It aims to cover government agencies, public institutions, enterprises, schools, social organizations, and the general public, "promoting the inclusive sharing of AI knowledge and skills to achieve full participation and comprehensive coverage."
For this public AI training initiative, Changzhou has moved away from a "one-size-fits-all" approach, focusing instead on "targeted delivery." The city stated that it is guided by the needs of different positions, levels, and fields, "providing personalized, efficient learning paths and resources to match training content with audience needs, continuously improving the relevance and effectiveness of the training."
In the "Training Content" section of the Implementation Plan, Changzhou further subdivides the training into four major categories: "General Knowledge Training," "Skills Training," "Entrepreneurship Training," and "Government Affairs Training." For instance, regarding "General Knowledge Training," the city proposes focusing on the universal popularization of basic AI knowledge, covering the history of AI development, fundamentals of data science, principles of large model technology, etc., "helping the general public establish a systematic understanding, foster a lifelong learning mindset, and promote the inclusive sharing of AI technology."
To address citizens' concerns about learning venues and schedules for AI study, the Implementation Plan issued by Changzhou outlines a series of detailed arrangements. For example, the city proposes utilizing public spaces such as science education bases, cultural centers, libraries, universities for the elderly, and "Qiubai Book Houses." Through formats like the "Longcheng Lecture Series," "Longcheng Workers' Grand Lecture Hall," and "Ten Thousand Enterprises Smart Connection Grand Lecture Hall," it will organize popular science lectures and technology experience activities to create a strong atmosphere for全民 learning AI.
Regarding the scheduling concerns for many working professionals, the Changzhou Implementation Plan proposes "implementing 'daytime + night school' training," with a focus on building the "Longcheng Sharpening Skills" AI "Skills Night School" training brand. It aims to "establish a trinity training model of 'base practical training + online empowerment + night school quality improvement,' creating a '30-minute skill learning circle.'"
On June 5th this year, the first lesson of the Changzhou "Artificial Intelligence Night School" was held, with Zhou Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Changzhou Municipal Party Committee and Mayor, attending the event. According to the plan, by 2028, Changzhou aims to have cumulatively conducted online and offline training for one million participants in the field of artificial intelligence; organize 3,000 various offline training activities; and foster a new urban trend of "learning AI, using AI, and creating AI."
"Currently, Changzhou has built an integrated learning阵地 of 'online + offline, daytime + night school.' Offline venues achieve comprehensive coverage, with the first batch of 40 AI night school training points distributed across Liyang, Jintan, Wujin, Xinbei, Tianning, Zhonglou, and the Economic Development Zone," information provided by Pan Yixin shows. "They are mostly located in convenient areas such as industrial parks, streets, commercial districts, and communities."
Building a Talent Foundation for Industrial Competitiveness
From an external perspective, as a "trillion-dollar economy city" with strong manufacturing capabilities, Changzhou's current launch of全民 AI training may aim to build a future-oriented talent "foundation" for industrial competitiveness, continuously enhancing its industrial strength.
In the Implementation Plan, Changzhou also emphasizes "Skills Training." For instance, it encourages and supports workers in learning new AI knowledge, technologies, and skills, strengthens AI认知 education and training, and simultaneously stresses "deepening school-enterprise cooperation and integration of industry and education." It focuses on "cultivating复合型人才 who understand both artificial intelligence and possess professional knowledge backgrounds, strengthening the efficient supply of 'AI + technical skills' talent."
"Changzhou has a relatively complete range of industries, with strong foundations in areas like new energy and intelligent equipment," Pan Yixin also stated. "AI is not a separate industry; it is just a tool. Every industry can use it, so policy触角 extend to all aspects."
Taking the new energy industry as an example, it is a landmark industry in Changzhou. Public information shows that by 2025, the scale of Changzhou's new energy industry is projected to reach 1047.9 billion yuan, successfully构建 a complete industrial ecosystem闭环 of "power generation, energy storage, transmission, application, and interconnection," and boasting a number of nationally renowned enterprises.
Furthermore, Pan Yixin introduced that in terms of hardware, "Changzhou's industrial robot production has long accounted for about a quarter of the national total, making it the most important industrial robot production base in the country."
As artificial intelligence transitions from an "efficiency tool" to a "production factor," Changzhou is also持续加码 in AI, further polishing its industrial "golden名片."
"Highlight intelligent manufacturing, build a strong modern industrial system." While emphasizing the expansion, enhancement, and advantage formation of industries such as power and energy storage batteries, new energy vehicles and core components in the 2026 Changzhou Municipal Government Work Report, it also points out "fully promoting artificial intelligence to empower all industries, accelerating the building of a nationally influential demonstration city brand for 'Intelligent Agents + Scenario Applications.'"
Pan Yixin believes: "Using AI as a lever, Changzhou extends its first-mover advantage in the new energy industry to the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics, proposing a development system of 'AI + Robotics Synergy.' Leveraging mature manufacturing scenarios like automotive manufacturing, power batteries, and rail transit, it promotes the iterative升级 of the robotics industry."
However, it is noted that in related "AI Growth Plan" training activities published on the "Changzhou Human Resources and Social Security" WeChat public account, there are both free events and paid ones. Training activities for技能考证 and similar types are priced higher. For example, one course for "Artificial Intelligence Trainer (Level 3)" costs 4,500 yuan, with the start time indicated as "upon满员开班."
"The human resources department, leading relevant departments, has recently released three rounds of AI course lists, creating a 30-minute AI learning circle, which includes many public welfare courses that citizens can attend for free," Pan Yixin stated. Relevant personnel who obtain技能 certificates and meet conditions may享受 training subsidies. "Currently, courses with strong market demand, such as those on Doubao, video editing, AI小龙虾, AI customer acquisition实战, etc., are mostly conducted through market-oriented channels, making full use of resources from educational institutions and training organizations."
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