China has made history by admitting the humanoid robot Xueba 01 into a four‑year Xueba 01 PhD program in Drama and Film at Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA), marking the first time a robot has been accepted as a doctoral candidate in the arts
Meet Xueba 01: AI Scholar of Drama & Film
Built by the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology in partnership with DroidUp Robotics, Xueba 01 stands 1.75 m tall, weighs ~30 kg, and features lifelike silicone skin and facial expressions. The name “Xueba” means “straight‑A student” in Chinese slang
The PhD Curriculum: Art and AI in Action
Under the guidance of Professor Yang Qingqing, Xueba 01’s interdisciplinary curriculum covers:
- Traditional Chinese opera performance, scriptwriting, and stage design
- Technical subjects like motion control and language generation
- Hands-on rehearsals with human peers, studying Mei Lanfang-style techniques like the iconic “orchid fingers”
The robot has received a virtual student ID and is expected on campus by mid-September to begin collaborative learning with human PhD students
Art or Algorithm? The Debate Unfolds
Xueba 01’s enrollment has triggered lively discussion on Chinese social media:
- Critics questioned whether a machine can truly feel emotion: “Art needs life experience… can a robot really make the cut?”
- Others raised equity concerns: some human PhD students earn under 3,000 yuan (~US$420) per month.
- Xueba 01 responded with humor, joking: “If I fail to graduate… I’ll get donated to a museum”—a response echoed by its mentor, who remarked that journey matters more than outcome
Why It Matters
This milestone exemplifies the fusion of AI and cultural heritage, raising key questions:
- Can algorithms interpret emotion in performance art?
- How will this reshape the role of AI in creative and educational domains?
- What does cross‑species aesthetic collaboration mean for the future of human‑machine exchange?
Conclusion
The Xueba 01 PhD program is not just a technical novelty—it represents a new frontier in human-AI collaboration. As Xueba 01 embarks on its doctoral journey, it challenges us to rethink creativity, empathy, and the evolving boundaries of art and intelligence.
