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$64M Plan to Bring AI Into Schools

Hong Kong is funding AI in classrooms with real cash.

The government has launched a $64 million programme to help public primary and secondary schools adopt AI in everyday teaching.

Each participating school can receive about $64,000 to integrate AI tools over the next three years.

This isn’t about turning kids into programmers or teaching algorithms. Think of it more like when calculators first entered classrooms. AI is being treated as a learning helper, not the main event.

Here’s what schools can use the money for:

• AI tools to reduce teacher workload

• AI-powered lessons to visualise difficult concepts

• Basic AI literacy so students understand where AI helps and where it can go wrong

Schools that receive the funding are required to run demonstration lessons, open up classrooms for other teachers, and share what works.

Why the shift? Because students are already using AI that can summarise homework in seconds, translate instantly, or generate answers.

Hong Kong’s bet is that ignoring AI does not stop its use, it just pushes learning out of the classroom and into unregulated spaces.

Why Your Neighbor Pays Less for Food

Why your grocery bill might be higher than your neighbor’s even if you buy the exact same items!

Instacart is one of the most popular grocery delivery apps in the US, used by millions to order from Costco, Safeway, Kroger, and Albertsons.

But a new study suggests not everyone sees the same prices.

Researchers at Consumer Reports found that Instacart has been testing AI-powered pricing tools that can charge some shoppers more than others. In some cases, people paid up to 20% more for the same product, from the same store, at the same time. 😳

Here’s what’s going on: Instacart offers retailers an AI pricing system that tests different online prices to see what customers are willing to pay. Instacart says only a small number of retail partners use it, and that pricing tests are not based on personal data. Some shoppers are randomly shown higher prices.

Still, it is raising red flags. Reuters reports that the US Federal Trade Commission has opened an investigation into Instacart’s AI pricing practices.

This matters because groceries are not a luxury. A 20% difference on everyday items adds up fast, especially for families and people on tight budgets. And unlike surge pricing for rides or flights, there is no clear signal when prices are being quietly increased. 😠

Cashmere, But From Chickens? 🐔

If you’ve ever worn cashmere, you know the feeling - soft, light, warm, and cozy without being heavy. It’s one of those fabrics that’s hard to go back from once you’ve tried it.

The problem? Cashmere is incredibly limited. Each goat produces only a few ounces a year. That’s putting pressure on animals, farmers, and the environment - and often means lower-quality fiber.

Startup Everbloom is using AI to help: using a material science system called Braid.AI, the company takes textile wastes such as chicken feathers and turns it into fibers that feel identical to cashmere. The process works on existing machines, is designed to be biodegradable, and could make soft, luxurious fabrics cheaper and more sustainable.

It’s all perfect… except the part where the sweater used to be a chicken. 🐔