Artificial Intelligence Programs Rapidly Expanding Across Chinese Universities
Artificial intelligence has become one of the most popular fields among higher education institutions in China. According to data from the Ministry of Education, while 35 universities in the country launched artificial intelligence programs in 2018, more than 600 universities had opened undergraduate AI programs by 2026. There is also a strong trend toward artificial intelligence among China’s “Double First-Class” universities, which represent the country’s elite higher education institutions. According to the financial media outlet Yicai, at least 90 universities in this group have established AI-related faculties, schools, or academic units.
Behind this rapid expansion are both national strategies and growing demand in the labor market. In April, China’s Ministry of Education and four other central government bodies released a comprehensive action plan focusing on AI talent cultivation, application innovation, infrastructure development, and ecosystem building. The plan entails making artificial intelligence a core foundational course in higher education, establishing interdisciplinary programs, and developing new models for cultivating top-tier AI talent.
Universities are not only opening new departments; they are also restructuring their academic systems around artificial intelligence. Some institutions are establishing new AI schools by bringing together existing programs such as computer science, big data, and automation. However, some academics are raising concerns about the sustainability and quality of the rapid expansion in AI education.