TECH – In a groundbreaking intersection of technology and the arts, China has made global headlines by accepting a humanoid robot named Xueba 01 into the PhD program in Drama and Film Studies at the prestigious Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA). This historic moment was officially announced at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference on July 27, 2025, marking the first time a robot has ever been admitted as a full-fledged doctoral student in a creative arts discipline.
Developed collaboratively by the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology and DroidUp Robotics, Xueba 01’s name comes from a popular Chinese slang term for “top student” or “straight-A learner.” The robot resembles a handsome adult male, standing 1.75 meters tall and weighing around 30 kilograms. With silicone-based skin and the ability to communicate fluently in Mandarin, Xueba 01 is designed for realistic human interaction and cultural immersion.
Starting from September 14, the robot will begin a four-year doctoral journey under the guidance of Professor Yang Qingqing, a renowned figure in traditional Chinese theater. The curriculum includes immersive training in Peking opera, scriptwriting, stage direction, motion control, and language generation—ultimately culminating in a live performance and written dissertation.
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Professor Yang describes the initiative as more than technical experimentation. “When Xueba 01 interacts with classmates, it is not a cold machine meeting humans, but an aesthetic exchange across species,” she said, framing the experience as a blend of embodied AI and expressive human art. In early classroom tests, the robot’s replication of classical opera gestures reportedly inspired students to follow its lead—demonstrating a two-way influence between machine and artist.
While the project has attracted admiration and media fascination, it has also sparked controversy. Critics question whether a robot can truly grasp emotional nuance, vocal tone, or the deep cultural resonance required for traditional Chinese opera. Others have raised concerns about equity, noting that some human PhD students earn under ¥3,000 (about US$420) monthly, while robotics programs may receive disproportionate funding.
Xueba 01, however, seems programmed with wit as well as data. In a humorous public statement, the robot quipped, “If I fail to graduate, my system and data might get deleted. They’ll donate me to a museum. That sounds pretty cool too—at least I’ll be part of art history!”
Robots have appeared in classrooms before—most notably BINA48 in the U.S., who completed a philosophy course in 2017 and later served as a teaching assistant. However, Xueba 01’s enrollment as a doctoral student marks a new level of integration between AI and higher education in the arts.
