Artificial intelligence is transforming the world of education. In China, the cutting-edge technology is being promoted across the board, including at universities, where it's even reshaping the future of art students. CGTN's Lu Sirui spoke to professors working in the humanities and the AI centre at one of China's elite universities.

The patterns on these antiques tell a story. That's according to a professor in the archeology department at China's Peking University. He says the evolution of these patterns can offer insights into the spread of culture across place and time.

Before it might take years for researchers to find and piece together the necessary information, matching evolutionary outcomes with certain patterns. But now the results are practically immediate, all at the tip of the fingers.

ZHANG HAI President, School of Archaeology and Museology Peking University "Image analysis is very personal. This AI software corrects and assists, according to the researcher's logic, and ultimately provides personalized services."

The professor says AI has already been applied in archeological research for many years, but it's now on the verge of becoming more accessible to students and early career researchers.

ZHANG HAI President, School of Archaeology and Museology Peking University "We now have a lot of content, such as the study of quantitative archeology and spatial analysis, which all involve the use of AI. In the future, after the content is more systematic, we may open a new course."

The wide appliance of AI technology across many industries has already raised deep philosophical questions and posed serious ethical issues.

New interdisciplinary courses are expected to open between philosophy and other subjects. The integration of AI across various sectors is creating new opportunities for philosophy majors outside the university, especially in the field AI ethics.

SEBASTIAN SUNDAY Grève Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy Peking University "We need to learn how to integrate this new technology. That means how to develop it in such a way that it will not be harmful to society. We also need to educate ourselves how to act and interact in relation to it. The new world of social media is indeed one battlefield as it's often described where we do interact with AI and on the basis of AI."

LIN ZHOUCHEN Professor, School of Intelligence Science and Technology Peking University "We have the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, which specializes in intersecting artificial intelligence and other disciplines, including the humanities. We are dedicated to enabling machines to act autonomously, based on correct values, and help the humanities to carry out systematic upgrades and accelerate their process of scientific research."

LU SIRUI Beijing "Professors also said the use of Artificial Intelligence is similar to the acceptance of computers decades ago. It's important for schools to equip students with the skill, and prepare them for the future world which will be reshaped by the technology."

Originally appeared in CGTN with the headline "How is AI affecting the study of the humanities in China?"