Tokyo: The government of Japan is planning to introduce English-speaking Artificial Intelligence (AI) robots in classrooms to help children improve their English speaking skills, considered one of the worst in the world. The Japanese education ministry would be launching a pilot programme to test the effectiveness of the initiative in April 2019, reports Efe news. The initiative will be initially rolled out in 500 schools throughout the country with the aim of fully implementing it in two years, public broadcaster NHK reported Saturday. The programme also includes study apps and online conversation sessions with native English speakers. Japan has proposed improving English skills ahead of the surge in tourists expected during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.