Chinese Universities Cut 5 Arts Degrees as Schools Add AI-Focused Majors
Updated
Updated · Fortune · May 26
Chinese Universities Cut 5 Arts Degrees as Schools Add AI-Focused Majors
4 articles · Updated · Fortune · May 26
Communication University of China dropped five undergraduate programs—including photography, comics, visual communication design, new media art and fashion design—and folded them into broader technology-infused disciplines.
The Beijing school said advances in AI and digital creation made some standalone majors obsolete; its president said translation had been largely replaced by AI and dedicated language majors wasted resources.
The university simultaneously introduced three new programs: intelligent imaging art, intelligent audiovisual engineering, and intelligent engineering and creative design.
Jensen Huang challenged that approach, saying AI will not make arts and storytelling irrelevant and students should focus on using the technology to strengthen whatever craft they study.
As China mass-produces tech graduates, is the West’s bet on creative thinkers a brilliant strategy or a historic mistake?
Tech billionaires are split: will your arts degree become more valuable than coding skills, or completely worthless?
With AI freezing entry-level jobs, what human skills actually secure a career in the new 'judgment economy'?
China’s Academic Revolution: Arts and Humanities Slashed, AI Majors Multiply in 2025–2026 University Reform
Overview
Between 2025 and 2026, China’s higher education system is undergoing a rapid transformation as the government pushes universities to restructure undergraduate programs to better match industrial needs and tackle youth unemployment. This has led to the widespread phasing out of arts and humanities departments, while majors in artificial intelligence are expanding quickly. The aggressive cuts to traditional fields have sparked public debate, especially after several universities abolished arts and humanities majors. These changes reflect a strategic shift toward technology-driven education, aiming to prepare students for a future shaped by AI and evolving job markets.