Artificial intelligence is emerging as a new digital learning tool for students of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China, providing access to extensive medical knowledge and practical training resources beyond the classroom.
Led by Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, developers have created a large AI model incorporating a broad range of TCM knowledge, including classical medical texts and theories, teaching materials, herbal medicines and prescriptions.
Students can use the system to ask questions about the combination of different herbal medicines. The AI can then provide information about the reasoning behind a formula and the traditional principles associated with it within seconds.
The university has also developed an embodied intelligent robot capable of demonstrating traditional TCM massage techniques. The technology is intended to support practical training and provide students with additional opportunities to observe and learn treatment techniques.
Xinhua News Agency quoted Li Ziyuan, a doctoral student at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, as saying that AI can help organize ancient medical texts, analyze the clinical experience of experienced TCM practitioners and assist with medication recommendations, potentially shortening the learning curve for young physicians.
TCM expert Huang Luqi noted that AI can systematically organize information on diagnostic methods, prescriptions and treatment experience. AI-assisted diagnosis could also help make some TCM diagnostic information more structured and quantifiable, potentially reducing subjectivity in manual assessment.
However, AI tools are being developed as support systems for education and medical practice rather than replacements for qualified medical professionals.
China is also incorporating digital and intelligent technologies into its broader strategy for developing traditional Chinese medicine. A national blueprint covering 2026 to 2030 calls for greater use of digital and intelligent technologies in TCM and the development of high-quality datasets for the field.
The integration of AI with traditional Chinese medicine reflects China’s efforts to preserve and organize centuries of medical knowledge while using modern digital technologies to support education, research and clinical practice.
