context: Following the policy goal of 'building a strong education nation', the PRC 5-year plan on education views the integration of AI as strategic priority to support national rejuvenation. The comprehensive digitalisation strategy, including the building of six AI education centres, also encompasses AI usage for teachers, with TAL Education Group launching the first large-scale AI agent designed specifically for teachers.
TAL launched NineClaw, the first large-scale AI agent designed specifically for teachers, reports Caixin. NineClaw runs on desktop and can do tasks such as retrieval, homework grading and create information notices without repeated prompts.
81 percent of primary and secondary teachers used AI by Sept 2025; 26 percent of them daily, finds a PRC-wide China Education Strategy Society survey of 30+ educational institutions. For use cases
- 61 percent seek to improve work efficiency
- 57 percent cut admin burdens
- 50 percent create lesson plans
- 42 percent create PPTs
- 38 percent do research
Reported downsides have been
- tool switching due to lack of a platform that serves all uses
- low quality output requiring extensive revision
- prompt struggles
To fix these issues, NineClaw
- integrates workflow automation
- has access to instant messaging tools such as Lark, QQ, WeChat Work, DingTalk
- long-term memory storage
- taps TAL models, research systems, question banks as resources
- makes interactive slides, geometry animations, lesson plans; can grade
Tian Mi 田密 TAL chief technology officer says teachers use courseware creation and grade diagnostics functions most. The agent is focused on teacher usage now, but student and parent versions may be next, Tian says. Regarding security concerns, NineClaw uses sandbox technology that isolates files in compliance with school data security rules. According to Tian, NineClaw liberates teachers from tedious admin tasks, allowing them to focus on teaching itself.
More educational AI agents are being implemented, reports Caixin. Tsinghua open-sources OpenMAIC as AI teacher: users upload materials and then can create slides, quizzes, web interactives and projects based on the input. The AI-powered teacher then conducts interactive lectures; during the class, AI students raise their hands to ask questions, sparking classroom discussions.