Abstract

General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to the innovation and development of ideological and political work，and has pointed out the need to “promote a high degree of integration between the traditional advantages of ideological and political work and information technology”，which has pointed out the direction for the connotative development of ideological and political education in the new era. The proposal of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the 2035 Visionary Goals makes the strategic deployment of promoting “the deep integration of artificial intelligence with various industries”，which highlights the importance and urgency of the organic integration of ideological and political education with modern information technology，which is also the necessary way for ideological and political education in the new era. This is also a necessary path for modernization of ideological and political education in the new era.

Based on the materialistic view of history，productivity has always been a decisive factor in promoting the change and development of social forms. All major changes in human society are closely related to the changes in the field of production，and the changes in the field of production are based on the breakthroughs and popularization of science and technology as the fundamental premise. Looking back at the development of the ideological and political education discipline，the iteration of technological means has provided sufficient practical reference，created a multi-dimensional development direction，and injected a powerful source of power for the deepening and innovation of the discipline，while ideological and political education feeds on technological means with humanistic care，making it serve the realization of individual freedom of consciousness and freedom of activity. As an emerging information technology achievement，artificial intelligence，in the process of intermingling and symbiosis with ideological and political education disciplines，needs to reveal its universality as a “tool for use” and its specialness as a “way to educate people”. In other words，thinking about the two-way integration of artificial intelligence and ideological and political education with the dimension of the clear way is not only a realistic view of reflecting on the development of ideological and political education itself in the information age，but also a forward-looking exploration for ideological and political education to adhere to the logic of humanism.

In the new journey of China towards the second hundred-year goal，insisting on using Xi Jinping’s thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era to forge the soul and educate people is always the foothold of ideological and political education construction and development in colleges and universities. To carry out research on AI-enabled ideological and political education in colleges and universities is not only a positive response to further strengthen and improve ideological and political work in the new era，but also a requirement of the times to deepen the theoretical innovation of ideological and political education disciplines in the new era. Artificial intelligence is seemingly unrelated to the ideological and political education in colleges and universities，but it has shown that it is “empowering”. Taking artificial intelligence technology as the starting and ending point to empower people education and vigorously promote the innovation of ideological and political education in the new era，it is of profound significance to deeply promote the realization of the fundamental task of establishing moral education in colleges and universities. This book fully explores and scientifically answers the frontier theoretical and practical questions on why AI is necessary，possible and feasible for the ideological and political education in colleges and universities. The purpose is to provide intellectual support for the theoretical construction and practical exploration of ideological and political education in the new era.

At present，there are still problems that need to be clarified，such as misunderstanding of intelligent thinking and politics，misjudgment of intelligent technology and misuse of intelligent application. Therefore，it is necessary to carry out the realistic response of “what” and “why” to some ambiguous understanding. The systematic construction of theoretical system is closely related to the solid promotion of practical development: First，taking the definition of AI empowerment as the entry point，the theoretical interpretation of AI empowerment of college ideological and political education can correct the view of “empowerment” and clarify the question of “what is”. Secondly，we will focus on the “new field” of moral education，“new process” of new liberal arts development，“new mode” of curriculum education and “new mode” of ideological and political work. The second point is to analyze in detail the strategic significance of AI-enabled ideological and political education in colleges and universities，to answer the question of “why”，and to plant the theoretical foundation for discussing the development of intelligent ideological and political education in colleges and universities in the new era.

In view of this，it is timely to return to the origin of the “encounter” between artificial intelligence and ideological and political education in the context of “all disciplines” and to explore the theoretical origin and knowledge of intelligent ideological and political education. As a Marxist theoretical discipline，we explore the theoretical support for intelligent ideological and political education based on the dialectical relationship between social existence and social consciousness，the Marxist view of science and technology，and the theory of comprehensive human development. Relying on the knowledge of computer science，educational technology and philosophy of science and technology，and according to the logic of development from “source” to “flow”，we divide the historical nodes of the new century and the first year of big data，and focus on the examination of the technological empowerment of ideological and political education in colleges and universities at different historical stages. In the historical evolution of network，big data，blockchain and artificial intelligence，information technology not only serves ideological and political education in a unique form，but also forms many valuable nurturing experiences with the common characteristics of technology，which provides important insights for the construction of intelligent ideological and political education in colleges and universities in broadening the main channel，building the main position and optimizing the general environment.

On the whole，the development of intelligent ideological and political education also needs to go through a process of technology upgrading，integration deepening and effect strengthening. History has been observed in reality，and the experience of educating people has been transformed into the main force to promote the development of intelligent ideological and political education in colleges and universities，so that the research paradigm of intelligent ideological and political education in colleges and universities has been initially constructed，the expression form has been gradually improved，and the pattern of educating people has taken shape. What is not satisfactory is that “national policy” and “university implementation”，“technology supply” and “education demand”，“intelligent application” and “education demand” are the main factors to promote the development of intelligent ideological and political education in universities. The objective contradiction between “intelligent application” and “subject practice” is still a stumbling block in the process of intelligent ideological and political education construction in colleges and universities. In this regard，we should rationally examine the current situation of intelligent ideological and political education in colleges and universities，and scientifically answer the questions of “whether college ideological and political education really needs artificial intelligence”，“what role does intelligent technology play in college ideological and political education”，and “what kind of college ideological and political education do we need to build？We should answer the questions of what kind of intelligent ideological and political education in colleges and universities we need to build”，and then redraw the academic map of the formation，evolution，innovation and development of intelligent ideological and political education.

In the Marxist science and technology watch，science and technology is certainly the first driving force to promote social development，but it should ultimately return to the logical starting point of serving human liberation. In this regard，the process of AI-enabled ideological and political education is the process of spreading nurturing knowledge，showing the spirit of nurturing，internalizing technical rationality and manifesting the mission of nurturing，which requires a breakthrough in the formal sense of technical means，technical tools，technical carriers and other technical applications，but also involves the value of individual growth and spiritual perfection. As the saying goes，“The Way is to become a tool，and the tool is to carry the Way” and “without its tool，there is no Way”. The relationship between “Tao” and “tools” is like the relationship between spiritual care and material support，which are complementary to each other and difficult to be separated. The “tool” is the premise of the “Tao”，and the “Tao” is the purpose of the “tool”. In the context of AI-enabled ideological and political education，if AI is called “tool”，then ideological and political education in colleges and universities is called “Tao”. The purpose of developing new carrier，building nurturing environment，innovating management mechanism and improving the quality of the team with artificial intelligence is the function of “the tool of the way”，in order to realize the value of “the way” through the revolution of “the tool”. The value of “Tao” is sublimated.

As an open and inclusive discipline that keeps innovating，advancing with the times and looking at the future，the ideological and political education of colleges and universities in the new era lies in the ability to change according to the events，advance according to the times，and innovate according to the situation. Undoubtedly，AI-enabled ideological and political education in colleges and universities needs to follow the principle of internal development of ethical standardization，rationalization of education and grid-based management，so as to promote the inner unity of instrumental rationality and value rationality，infinite algorithm and limited will，data connection and humanistic care. The artificial intelligence technology and service education concept play a decisive role in constructing the pattern of “Big Thinking and Politics”，and the intelligent ideological and political education of colleges and universities starts from intelligent application to carry out simulation teaching，realizing the participation of all staff，seamless education in the whole process and all-round cooperation and linkage，and serving college students with artificial intelligence. The ideal picture of AI-empowered ideological and political education in colleges and universities is depicted scientifically.

Key Words: Artificial Intelligence，Higher education，Ideological and Political education