International Comparison and Implications of Digital Education Policy Tools: Based on Textual Analysis of Generative Artificial Intelligence Education Policies in China and Europe

Abstract

This study compares generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) education policies in China and the European Union (EU) using a three-dimensional policy instrument framework and quantitative textual analysis from the dual perspectives of basic policy instruments and application elements. The findings reveal that China adopts a balanced configuration of environmental, supply, and demand instruments, while the EU emphasizes ethical regulation. Both prioritize transforming teaching models and evaluation systems but share a blind spot in teacher workforce capacity building, though China maintains a significant advantage in infrastructure investment. These divergences stem from China’s developmental strategic ambition versus the EU’s regulatory tradition of digital rights protection. Accordingly, this study proposes three optimization pathways for China’s digital education governance: deepening technology-practice integration based on infrastructure advantages, establishing fine-grained standards for educational algorithm admission by learning from precautionary regulations, and systematically advancing teachers’ digital literacy and human-machine collaboration to bridge policy gaps.