AI is wiping out whole degrees in China translation, photography, illustration and fashion design are going, while prompt engineering is the
new job appearing in film

Date:
Wed, 23 Sep 2026 01:20:00 +0000

Description:
Chinese universities are cutting or restructuring creative programmes as AI changes employment needs, while new technology-focused courses and film roles emerge.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Chinese universities are
cutting traditional courses because of AI Translation courses face pressure
as universities reassess their employment value Photography programmes are being merged as AI changes creative production The Central Academy of Fine Arts has dropped courses in illustration, photography and translation,
arguing that AI has made them poor value for money.

Fashion design degrees are also being scrapped, with universities saying the future rests on close cooperation between people and machines in creative work. The changes follow a state campaign to direct learners toward chips, robotics and AI, industries the authorities regard as vital for national prospects. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Universities are cutting courses at scale From 2021 to 2025, Chinese universities closed
or paused 12,200 undergraduate programmes and launched roughly 10,200 fresh programmes.

The restructuring affected over 30% of undergraduate programmes nationwide, and arts, humanities and language courses absorbed the heaviest cuts. You may like New report claims older, more educated tech workers could be most at
risk from AI How universities can better prepare graduates for the demands of the modern workplace Teachers are worried AI is taking over the classroom faster than they can stop it

A survey of 70 universities found cuts to five translation majors, eight Japanese majors and five German majors among language programmes.

Alex Shi launched her creative career with a degree that trained her to translate and interpret English, and says such courses could soon vanish, as the cuts overlook the wider skills underlying translation, including communication and critical thinking, which extend beyond producing accurate text. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Shi concedes that AI could bring translation accuracy almost to perfection, yet maintains that interpreting demands far more than converting words
between languages.

Theres still that personal style thats always been essential in translation, said Shi.

The Communication University of China has reportedly closed five programmes, among them visual communication design, comics and photography, according to
a report on its overhaul. What to read next 'The disguise becomes part of the answer key': Researchers find that AI is redefining what human writing means by self-correcting itself Seizing AI job opportunities in the United Kingdom The AI job apocalypse is a myth. We need more human talent than ever before

Traditional photography major can no longer exist as an independent
discipline today everyone can be a self-media creator and recorder, said Liao Xiangzhong, top official at the Communication University of China.

Liao later clarified that the majors were merged into other disciplines instead of being cancelled outright, with photography absorbed by film and television photography. New film roles and hybrid courses New roles such as prompt engineer and AI animator are emerging in film and animation, where AI is also creating fresh openings alongside the closures.

One industry worker says designing characters or scenes once took a month,
but with AI, a complete project can now be delivered in that time.

Degree programmes in intelligent imaging art, intelligent audiovisual engineering, and intelligent engineering and creative design have been launched by some schools.

Universities are also launching hybrid courses in which artistic instruction sits beside AI training, while some standalone degrees are being scrapped across the sector.

That shift is changing what employers expect from graduates entering translation, design, photography and film production.

For students, traditional qualifications may increasingly need technical skills that allow them to work alongside automated creative systems.

The result is a university system where some familiar degrees disappear while new AI-focused programmes take their place.

Via Al Jazeera English Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/ai-is-wiping-out-whole-degrees-in-china-translat ion-photography-illustration-and-fashion-design-are-going-while-prompt-enginee ring-is-the-new-job-appearing-in-film


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)