Chinese Universities Embrace AI Integration, Encouraging Students to Use AI Tools Actively
July 28, 2025 — By Caiwei Chen, MIT Technology Review
In a notable shift contrasting with many Western institutions, Chinese universities are moving beyond warning students against artificial intelligence (AI) use toward actively encouraging its integration in academic work. Unlike the ongoing debates across Western campuses about AI’s role and risks, top Chinese universities are promoting AI as a vital skill for students to master in today’s fast-evolving technological landscape.
From Caution to Encouragement
Just two years ago, students in China like Lorraine He, a 24-year-old law student, were urged to avoid using AI for assignments. At that time, access to popular Western AI services such as ChatGPT was restricted nationally, pushing students to obtain mirror-site versions through secondhand marketplaces. Although using such tools was common, it was mostly frowned upon by faculty.
Today, the environment has transformed. Professors no longer dissuade students from using AI and instead actively encourage it—provided that ethical guidelines and best practices are followed. AI is increasingly seen as a legitimate academic aid rather than a threat to integrity.
Widespread Adoption and Positive Attitudes
A recent survey by the Mycos Institute, a Chinese higher-education research group, reveals near-universal AI usage on campuses across China. The survey found that only 1% of faculty and students reported never using AI tools, and nearly 60% use them frequently—several times per week or daily.
This robust adoption is accompanied by a cultural embrace of AI as a national achievement and a pathway toward greater productivity and innovation. Unlike many Western institutions still preoccupied with managing AI-related risks, Chinese universities view AI literacy and fluency as essential competencies.
Supporting this optimism, a global AI attitude report from Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence found that approximately 80% of Chinese respondents expressed excitement about AI services—a stark contrast to 35% in the United States and 38% in the United Kingdom.
AI as a Learning Partner
Liu Bingyu, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, describes AI as a versatile tool for students acting as an "instructor, brainstorm partner, secretary, and devil’s advocate." Her courses now include formal sessions on AI guidelines, emphasizing responsible use.
She advises students to leverage generative AI for tasks such as writing literature reviews, drafting abstracts, creating charts, and organizing ideas. One core teaching point is that AI cannot replace human judgment—the quality of AI outputs depends heavily on thoughtful inputs and smart prompting.
"This ability to interact with machines is among the most critical skills today," Liu stated. "Instead of students using AI privately and secretively, the conversation should be open and educational."
Institutional Support and Curriculum Reform
The growing acceptance of AI tools is reflected in broad institutional initiatives. MIT Technology Review’s analysis of 46 leading Chinese universities revealed that nearly all have incorporated interdisciplinary AI general education classes, established AI-related degree programs, or added AI literacy modules within the past year.
For example, Tsinghua University is launching a new undergraduate general education college designed to blend AI training with traditional disciplines such as biology, healthcare, science, and the humanities. Renmin, Nanjing, and Fudan Universities have introduced general-access AI courses available to all students, not solely computer science majors.
Starting in 2024, Zhejiang University will require all undergraduates to take an introductory AI course. Lin Shangxin, principal of Renmin University, highlighted that AI presents an "unprecedented opportunity" for fields like humanities and social sciences, empowering studies rather than posing a challenge.
Alignment with National Policy
This academic trend aligns closely with central government mandates. In April 2025, China’s Ministry of Education issued national guidelines urging comprehensive “AI+ education” reform to cultivate critical thinking, digital fluency, and practical skills throughout education levels. Additionally, Beijing’s municipal government mandated AI education across all schools in the city, from kindergarten to university.
Fang Kecheng, a communications professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, sees AI literacy education as a bridge closing the digital divide among students, enabling those less familiar with AI tools to catch up.
Locally Developed AI Tools and Campus Integration
Due to restrictions on Western AI platforms like ChatGPT, many Chinese universities deploy local AI models such as DeepSeek on campus servers. These university-managed versions—dubbed "full-blood versions"—offer extended functionalities like longer context windows and unlimited dialogues, far surpassing the features available in publicly accessible free models.
This approach contrasts with Western universities, where companies like OpenAI and Anthropic drive campus-wide AI programs. In China, universities themselves lead these initiatives, providing students free, comprehensive AI access via student IDs.
Challenges and Student Perspectives
Despite institutional endorsements, some students experience anxiety regarding the ethical use of AI and concerns over academic integrity. AI detection software has spurred a gray market in which students pay freelancers to make their AI-assisted work undetectable—a source of stress and confusion.
Students appreciate clear guidelines and practical advice from professors rather than vague warnings. For example, Lorraine He has recently joined a career development group focused on AI skills to better prepare for the job market, recognizing AI literacy as a critical employability asset—in 2025, about 80% of job openings for recent graduates highlighted AI skills as advantageous.
Rethinking Originality in the AI Era
Researchers at Warwick University studying AI use among UK students emphasize that the focus should be on guiding students to utilize AI for deeper learning and critical thinking rather than trying to prohibit its use outright.
As Zhuo Meifang, one of the researchers, articulates, “We need to rethink what ‘original work’ means in the age of AI, and universities are a crucial arena for that conversation.”
Conclusion
Chinese universities have embraced AI as an indispensable educational tool, integrating it thoroughly into curricula and encouraging students to develop proficiency with AI technologies. This progressive stance reflects broader national enthusiasm for AI and a belief in technology as a driver of societal progress—a perspective reshaping how education adapts to the digital future.
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