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Prime Minister Hun Manet on Friday urged Cambodian universities to set clear pointers for the usage of synthetic intelligence (AI), slightly than prohibit it whereas warning that college students who solely depend on AI have gotten “hole” graduates.
Talking at a commencement ceremony at Asia Euro College, Hun Manet stated universities all over the world are modernizing the curricula to enhance high quality and competitiveness, with larger emphasis on analysis, innovation, digital and expertise training.
Inside that context, he stated, Cambodia should additionally modernize the curricula to make sure graduates can compete in nationwide and worldwide job markets, as AI is quickly altering how individuals work, examine and dwell.
Nonetheless, he warned that college students and academics mustn’t grow to be overly depending on AI. As a substitute, they need to use the expertise to hurry up data searches whereas sustaining their very own skill to suppose critically and remedy issues.
“Coaching that makes use of expertise should use it, however not depend on it fully. Subsequently, the conduct, insurance policies, and inner rules of instructional establishments should fulfill this mission,” he stated.
In response to him, some college students are paying much less consideration to academics and utilizing AI instruments to summarize classes as a substitute of creating their very own understanding.
“Schooling can’t focus solely on acquiring a level. It should primarily practice college students to have the aptitude to suppose, analyze, implement, and remedy issues individually and as a staff,” he stated.
“In any other case, we might imagine we’re succesful, however we are literally ‘hole’,” Hun Manet stated in a possible reference to considering talents. That being stated, the federal government doesn’t intend to ban AI use, he adde
Rodionova Nataly, managing accomplice of IT Academy Step Cambodia, who has labored in IT training in Cambodia for 11 years, additionally supported the decision for clearer pointers.
A survey carried out by her group amongst college students in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Battambang discovered that 83% frequently use ChatGPT, whereas one in three use AI every day, primarily for studying and analysis, she stated.
Nonetheless, many college students don’t perceive how AI works, its limitations or easy methods to use it correctly, she stated. She additionally raised considerations in regards to the accuracy of AI in Khmer, saying restricted or poor-quality knowledge may result in extra errors and hallucinations.
“AI is a strong instrument, however just for somebody who can decide nicely what it produces. That requires your personal data of the topic and the power to suppose critically,” she stated.
“When college students use AI to brainstorm, discover and take a look at concepts – that’s nice, so long as they learn about dangers and keep in management, and don’t copy-paste solutions they don’t perceive.”
Ker Munthit, a journalism instructor on the Division of Media and Communication (DMC) on the Royal College of Phnom Penh, advised CamboJA Information that for journalism college students, AI can be utilized to help analysis, discover background data, transcribe interviews and translate statements. Nonetheless, they have to depend on their very own considering to course of and analyze data when writing tales.
However, in some instances, Munthit added, some college students additionally used AI to write down tales, and in that case he requested them to submit the primary draft. In some instances, college students’ credibility has been affected.
“I’ve to emphasize that this isn’t a case of dishonest. It can’t be referred to as as such since we now have not had any formal pointers on AI use but,” he stated, including that DMC is anticipated to introduce AI-use pointers at the beginning of subsequent 12 months.
Though this has occurred, Munthit stated an outright ban could be unrealistic given their entry to smartphones and the web.
Ung Bun Y, head of the DMC, advised CamboJA Information that the DMC drafted its personal AI coverage in early 2026 and plans to formally implement it in early 2027 to information college students, lecturers and workers on the secure, moral and accountable use of AI.
Nataly added that Cambodia can draw on worldwide steerage from UNESCO, the European Union and the US when creating AI pointers for colleges and universities, adapting them to the native context.
She additionally recommended making a nationwide framework for AI in training.
On the similar time, Nataly added that Cambodia ought to prioritize digital and AI literacy, and on-line security within the curriculum for highschool college students, whereas making instructor coaching a primary step alongside knowledge-sharing teams, sensible guides.
“We dwell now at a really fascinating level of time, when expertise strikes sooner than any curriculum, so a lifelong studying mindset is now not a selection,” she stated. “I’m certain AI can carry nice advantages, but additionally dangers and solely once we are clear how and when and why it really works, we will be profitable.”
