A CellRobot developed by Beijing Keyi Technology seen at the 4th International Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai Photo: VCG

The first batch of students majoring in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in China will begin their courses in the new school year, which starts from September .

According to the website of the Chinese Ministry of Education, a total of 35 universities in China are currently authorized to offer AI undergraduate majors, including Shanghai Jiaotong University and Tongji University.

Yang Xiaokang, a deputy dean of the Artificial Intelligence Institute of Shanghai Jiaotong University said that unlike other disciplines, the AI curriculum not only requires both mathematics knowledge and integration with other disciplines such as neurosciences, but also emphasizes guidance from enterprise mentors on how to apply that knowledge, according to Jiefang Daily.

"No matter how AI application changes and develops in the future, students will be able to handle it confidently as long as they master the six fundamental subjects," said Zhang Wei, deputy chief of the Department of Control Science and Engineering who is in charge of the AI major at Tongji University.

In the curriculum, the fundamental subjects include mathematics, brain science, control theory, computer engineering and electronic technology, and intelligence studies include machine learning and in-depth learning, according to Zhang.

Shanghai Jiaotong University established a doctoral class named after Wu Wenjun, the first winner of the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, the highest scientific and technological prize in China, which aims to cultivate potential elites in AI.

Zhang believes that the combination of AI and the traditional advantages of universities, autonomous devices and systems represented by robots and unmanned vehicles will help mankind realize the dream of giving intelligence to robots.