Artificial intelligence in China has become a digital educational assistant for traditional Chinese medicine students and extends access to knowledge and guidance beyond the classroom.
Researchers at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine have built a large model that contains a wide range of traditional Chinese medicine knowledge; from classical texts and theories and course materials to herbal medicines and prescriptions. Students can ask about herbal combinations with a smartphone and the model explains the logic and principles behind the formula in seconds.
The university has also built an intelligent robot with a physical body that can demonstrate traditional massage techniques. The aim of this work is to strengthen practical training.
A model with official registration
According to a statement by Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, this educational model named “Xinhuo Chinese Medicine” is the first artificial intelligence model of traditional Chinese medicine to have passed national registration for generative AI services in China. This model was built with the support of the Ministry of Education and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and in collaboration with more than ten traditional medicine institutes, iFlytek company and China Traditional Medicine Press. It was also introduced at the World Digital Education Conference in May 2026.
Students’ and experts’ perspectives
Li Ziyuan, a doctoral student at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, says AI can organize ancient medical texts, analyze senior physicians’ clinical experiences and help provide medication suggestions. According to him, this shortens the time required for young physicians to gain experience.
Huang Luki, a traditional Chinese medicine specialist, believes AI can systematically document diagnostic methods, prescriptions and inherited therapeutic experiences. He thinks this technology may make diagnostic information more measurable and reduce subjective judgment.
Technology limitations
With the entry of AI into education and medical practice, questions about the limits of this technology have become more serious. According to People’s Daily, Zhao Liyi, a student at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, says AI can make experienced physicians’ tacit knowledge more accessible for learning and transfer, but it cannot replace the core reasoning in traditional Chinese medicine. The development team has also stated it is committed to maintaining content safety and the accuracy of traditional medicine theories; an area that deals with health education and medicinal plant knowledge and requires strict safety standards.
National strategy
China intends to incorporate AI into its national strategy for the development of traditional medicine. In the 2026–2030 plan, the expansion of digital and intelligent technologies and the development of high-quality databases in this field are emphasized.
According to Xinhua News Agency, which quoted Li Ziyuan, these developments are part of a broader effort to transfer traditional physicians’ experiences to the next generation using digital tools. Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, founded in 1956, is counted among the leading institutions in Chinese medicine education and herbal pharmacology.