Boosting Artificial Intelligence Training: China Restructures Education

Many of China's top universities are restructuring their training programs, preparing to open large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) majors. The goal is to meet the growing demand for human resources in the booming industry.

Chinese universities announced that by 2026, they will train specialized majors in artificial intelligence such as humanoid robots.

Among the schools leading the trend are Beihang University, known for its aerospace strengths, and Zhejiang University, which has produced many founders of AI companies like DeepSeek and emerging technology startups.

This trend reflects China's efforts to build a comprehensive AI ecosystem that includes academia, industry and parallel R&D to accelerate national technological competitiveness.

Not only are new programs being developed, schools are also providing clear career paths. At the Beijing Institute of Technology, the AI program is expected to enroll 120 students, of whom 50 will be oriented directly into the job market immediately after graduation.

They will have many opportunities at large corporations such as Huawei, Tencent, aerospace technology companies and state-owned automakers. This shows that AI training is not just theoretical, but designed to directly meet the demand for high-quality labor.

Interest in AI, especially humanoid robots, is growing in China. People and businesses are paying more attention to intelligent systems that can physically interact with the environment. The history of humanoid robots dates back to WABOT-1 at Waseda University in 1973.

To date, research centers, universities and businesses around the world are racing to develop this field. China has emerged as one of the most dynamic markets, thanks to strong government support and huge market size.

According to national strategies, AI is identified as one of China's key growth drivers in the next five years, alongside quantum, hydrogen energy, fusion, biotechnology and 6G communications.

The Development Research Center of the State Council predicts that China's AI market will reach 400 billion yuan by 2030 and exceed 1 trillion yuan by 2035. This rapid growth has led to a severe shortage of talent, especially in the fields of algorithms, humanoid robots and autonomous AI systems.

A report from the Liepin Big Data Research Institute said the average annual salary for AI recruits reached 333,400 yuan, higher than most other tech sectors. Major corporations such as ByteDance, JD.com, Huawei and BYD are all actively seeking AI engineers, with monthly salaries ranging from 25,000 to 90,000 yuan.

Figures from the Humanoid Robot Applications Alliance show that by 2025 alone, there will be more than 120 humanoid robot-related fundraising events in China, accounting for more than 80% of the global total. The Beijing Institute of Technology estimates that the industry is currently short of about one million skilled workers.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University will launch an undergraduate AI major. Professor Lu Cewu, co-founder of Shanghai-based AI company Noematrix, will head the department. His “two-in-one” role reflects the strategy of closely linking university education with the development needs of enterprises in the industry.

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