AI is the fastest expanding discipline in China’s universities, with 180 more approved to offer it as a major
- China’s Ministry of Education approved applications for 180 more colleges to offer majors in artificial intelligence in 2019, up from 35 the year before
- The ramping up of approvals comes as the country tries to attract more talent to drive what has been referred to as the fourth industrial revolution
Artificial intelligence has become the fastest expanding discipline at mainland Chinese universities, as the country charges ahead with its ambitions to become a global leader in the field.
China’s Ministry of Education (MOE) approved applications by 180 colleges to set up new AI-related majors for undergraduate students in 2019, compared to just 35 a year earlier, a circular issued by the ministry showed on Tuesday.
The ramping up of approvals comes as the country tries to attract more talent to drive what has been referred to as the fourth industrial revolution.
More than 60 per cent of AI professionals surveyed found the implementation of AI systems “very difficult” under the current circumstances, which call for a larger pool of talent and data, according to a report released by technology research firm International Data Corp (IDC) and tech media outlet qbitai.com in December.
Lack of quality data, tech talent hinder wider AI adoption in China
Education has been at the forefront of efforts for China to boost its AI industry, as it looks to narrow its talent gap with the US amid a tech war between the world’s two largest economies.
Last year, the first batch of universities – including top universities Peking and Tsinghua – started accepting students under the dedicated discipline.
Among the new majors MOE approved last year, other disciplines related to new technologies also featured strongly. The ministry approved applications by 138 universities to offer new data science and big data technology majors, the second-highest number out of all disciplines, while smart manufacturing engineering came in third highest with 80 more universities approved to offer it.
The newly approved course offerings are meant to boost the quality of education and “foster a closer tie” between talent training and economic development, the ministry said in the circular. Schools can dynamically adjust their admissions based on social demand, it added.
Authorities have projected that the area defined as core AI will be worth 150 billion yuan (US$21.5 billion) and related industries will reach 1 trillion yuan by the end of the year.
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