In the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer just a novelty technology for scientists; it has become an indispensable part of daily life, work, and education. To respond to this rapid evolution and ensure that Cambodian youth are fully equipped to seize technological opportunities, in early January 2026, Master Trainers from the "AI Ready ASEAN" (AIRA) project organized a comprehensive training course on "AI Literacy" for students in their target areas. This initiative aimed to actively promote awareness regarding the ethical, responsible, and efficient use of digital tools.

The training went beyond basic AI usage, focusing on core topics that enabled participants to gain a deep understanding, including:

1. Understanding Generative AI and Prompt Engineering: Participants learned how AI generates new content and mastered the art of "Prompt Engineering"—learning how to command or communicate with AI precisely to extract maximum value, ensure high-quality outputs, and minimize informational bias.

2. Productivity Enhancement: Utilizing AI as a smart assistant for content creation, social media management, report writing, and streamlining complex administrative tasks to be simpler and less time-consuming.

3. Technical Foundations and Development: Gaining insight into how AI mechanisms (such as Machine Learning basics) operate and understanding the fundamentals of building simple AI-based tools, marking the first step towards becoming technology creators rather than just consumers.

4. Safety and Ethics: Education on data privacy protection, cybersecurity, and building resilience against online scams, deepfakes, and misinformation.

AI literacy offers advantages that go far beyond computer skills; it is a critical 21st-century skill:

• Democratizing Knowledge: AI allows students in remote areas to access educational resources and data of international standards, on par with students in major cities or abroad, effectively bridging the digital divide.
• Enhancing Critical Thinking: AI Literacy teaches individuals not to blindly trust machine output, but to verify, analyze sources, and evaluate the accuracy of information—a vital skill in the age of information overload.
• Career Competitiveness: In the near future, roles that do not leverage AI may diminish. Those with AI literacy will have a distinct advantage in problem-solving, creative ideation, and effective decision-making.
• Lifelong Learning Companion: AI acts as a Personal Tutor that can explain lessons, answer queries, and provide new learning scenarios anytime, anywhere.

Lun Lisa, a 10th-Grade student at Hun Sen Boribou High School, expressed her strong impression that “Learning about Artificial Intelligence not only provides limitless knowledge but also polishes a new skill set that facilitates study and research, allowing us to develop our capabilities to stay up-to-date as digital youth.”

This training serves as a gateway for students to broaden their understanding significantly. Participating in the AI Ready ASEAN movement is a confident step towards a future where technology and humanity coexist in harmony. The project is led by the ASEAN Foundation with support from Google.org, with the primary objective of making coding and AI learning simple, fun, and accessible for people of all ages through the global "Hour of Code" movement across ASEAN nations.