People enjoy cherry blossoms at Wuhan University in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, March 22, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

Several Chinese universities have recently launched AI-powered counselors, enabling students to instantly receive answers with just a few taps on their phones. These 24/7 digital assistants, nicknamed "electronic colleagues" by their human counterparts, are transforming student services, according to China Youth Daily on Sunday.

At Beijing Jiaotong University, an AI counselor recently sent an in-app survey to undergraduate student Kong Lingyan, asking: "Would you consider working in western China?" The message was sent by Han Baitao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Electronic and Information Engineering, through the AI platform, said the China Youth Daily.

According to the report, the survey received over 500 views within just 30 minutes, and 254 students submitted detailed responses. Based on these responses, Han used the AI system to distribute a more targeted questionnaire to 1,295 students. The system successfully identified 32 students who expressed a clear interest in working or volunteering in western regions of China.

At the same time, students with other needs were also flagged and provided with personalized guidance. For instance, students interested in tech R&D received case studies on how eastern high-tech enterprises are contributing to environmental restoration efforts in western China, while those focused on urban development insights into central and western Chinese cities aligned with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Han, who leads the AI platform's development team, said that the system can dynamically analyze large volumes of feedback to identify underlying factors behind students' choices—such as differences in major, hometown, or career goals—and generate a dynamic, nested framework to better support ideological education and hands-on learning, per the report.

AI counselors are also playing a role in supporting students' mental health. At Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, an AI-powered psychological analysis platform built on natural language processing technology analyzes online messages, appointment requests, and consultation reports. Using semantic analysis and emotion recognition, the system can accurately detect high-risk signals such as depression and anxiety, and automatically generate risk reports.

A counselor from Nanjing University of Finance & Economics, surnamed Zhang, shared an example with the Global Times of how AI-powered monitoring and early warning systems help address students' mental health issues. After a breakup, one student left a late-night message on the university's psychological counseling appointment platform. By early the next morning, a counselor from the psychological center had called the student and arranged an urgent session.

The AI system's monitoring capabilities have significantly improved the timeliness of psychological crisis response and have successfully intervened in over 30 potential mental health emergencies to date, said a representative from the university, according to a report unveiled by the university's official website, said Zhang.