As artificial intelligence (AI) technology advances, its applications in biotechnology are expanding, raising socio-scientific concerns. This study designed a set of teaching activities for high school students that integrate the AI applications in biotechnology with discussions on socioscientific issues. The feasibility of these activities was examined through observing students’ understanding of AI technology and their perspectives on relevant issues. Fifty-nine tenth-grade students from two high schools participated over three weeks. The teaching activities comprised AI foundational knowledge, hands-on activities, and its applications in biotechnology, using agricultural breeding and medical scenarios to guide students in considering social and ethical implications. Results showed significant improvement in students’ AI knowledge. Their argumentation became more sophisticated, demonstrating an improved ability to articulate viewpoints. Furthermore, nearly half of the students changed their stance after the course. In the agricultural scenario, 28 students shifted their positions, increasing support for AI breeding from 32 to 38. Conversely, in the medical scenario, 20 students changed their stance, increasing opposition from 27 to 39. Analysis of group discussions revealed that students gained a clearer understanding of AI’s data-driven learning mechanisms, distinguishing them from traditional rule-based programming. Some students became more supportive of AI in agriculture due to its potential to enhance development. However, in the medical context, students were more concerned about decision-making accountability and privacy protection, leading some to adopt a more cautious or opposing stance. Finally, this study provides several recommendations for high school educators in designing AI curricula.