ABSTRACT Amid the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), universities worldwide have increasingly prioritised science and engineering disciplines, leading to the expansion of science, technology, engineering, agriculture and medicine (STEMAM) fields while marginalising the humanities and social sciences (HSS). This imbalance risks producing technologically skilled but ethically and culturally limited academic ecosystems. This study examines how Chinese universities can balance STEMAM–HSS development within the context of AI‐driven transformation and socialist modernisation. Drawing on Marxist human development theory and traditional Chinese humanism, HSS is conceptualised as the “spirit and soul” of STEMAM progress, emphasising the unity of material and spiritual advancement. Methodologically, a mixed‐methods design is employed, combining a systematic literature review, comparative case studies of selected Chinese universities (Tsinghua, Peking, Fudan) and international institutions (Oxford, MIT), and Delphi‐based expert consultation. This approach develops the Dual‐Wheel Synergy Framework (DWSF), conceptualising STEMAM–HSS as interdependent systems, and highlights that sustainable university modernisation requires integrating ethics, cultural literacy, and AI through interdisciplinary policies and equitable funding. The study offers a policy‐relevant framework for achieving balanced, human‐centred higher education in China while contributing to global debates on AI and education. The study's distinctive contribution lies in the Dual‐Wheel Synergy Framework (DWSF), which conceptualises STEMAM–HSS as interdependent systems, offering a novel Marxist–Humanist alternative to prevailing technocratic models of higher education where AI‐driven learning environments refer to systems that use artificial intelligence technologies to personalise instruction, automate assessment and enhance learning outcomes.
Jiang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.