Is the classroom ready for a classmate who never sleeps, never forgets, and runs on lines of code? That question took a tangible turn last week in China when Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA) made headlines by accepting a humanoid robot named Xueba 01 into its PhD program in Drama and Film. The robot, developed by the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology in collaboration with DroidUp Robotics, will be studying one of the country’s oldest art forms: traditional Chinese opera.
This isn’t a short-term experiment or a publicity stunt. Xueba 01 has been officially enrolled in a four-year doctoral program, complete with a virtual student ID and a faculty advisor—renowned artist and professor Yang Qingqing. The announcement was made during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference on July 27, where the robot’s admission was met with a mix of fascination and concern.
Standing at 1.75 meters and weighing just 30 kilograms, Xueba 01 isn’t just a talking head. Built with silicone skin and capable of expressing detailed facial movements, the robot bears the likeness of a conventionally attractive adult male. He’s expected to arrive on campus by September 14, ready to attend classes, rehearse operas, and even complete a doctoral dissertation like any other student.
But here’s where things get even more interesting: beyond performance, Xueba 01’s coursework will span everything from stagecraft and scriptwriting to motion control and language generation. The aim, according to its creators, isn’t to replace human artists—but to explore how AI can learn and possibly enhance the expressive power of the performing arts.
Still, not everyone is convinced.
Reactions online have been swift and split. “Now robots are replacing students,” one user lamented. Others questioned whether an algorithm could ever replicate the depth and emotional nuance that comes from lived experience—something art arguably depends on. One particularly pointed comment asked whether a robot with institutional backing might be taking resources away from human PhD candidates, many of whom in China earn less than 3,000 yuan (around $420) a month.
Even so, this isn’t Xueba 01’s first brush with the spotlight. An earlier version of the robot placed third in a humanoid half-marathon—a reminder that the machine’s creators have long been testing its limits in both physical and intellectual spaces.
The broader implications remain up for debate. Is this a bold new direction for AI in education and culture—or a step too far in blurring the lines between human creativity and machine capability?
Either way, one thing is clear: the future of the arts just got a lot more robotic—and a lot more complicated.