In order to respond to the national artificial intelligence strategy, Nankai University established the College of Artificial Intelligence in 2018, and the Department of Intelligence Science in 2019 with the Institute of Robotics & Automatic Information System playing a leading role. Since its establishment, the Department has been promoting the combination of artificial intelligence and robotics and become the base of high-level talents cultivation and technological innovation in the field of artificial intelligence and automation with distinctive teaching and research.

The Department covers the first-level discipline control science and engineering and the subordinate discipline artificial intelligence, providing programs for D.E., academic and professional masters and undergraduate program Intelligence Science and Technology.

The Department has talented faculty. As of November 2021, there are 37 teachers, including 12 professors, 10 associate professors and associate research fellows, 7 lecturers and 7 assistant research fellows. Among them, there is one Special-term Professor under Cheung Kong Scholars Program, one receiving National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, one selected in Ten Thousand Leading Talents in Science and Technology Innovation, two selected in Young Cheung Kong Scholars Program of Ministry of Education, one selected in Thousand Talents Program, two Distinguished Professors and two Talented Professors of Nankai University, and four selected in the Training Plan of One Hundred Discipline Leaders of Nankai University.

By forging ahead and constantly deepening reform in undergraduate teaching, the Department integrates the characteristics of artificial intelligence + robotics in the training program to highlight the main courses, strengthen the practical teaching, add characteristic courses and establish the core curriculum system of intelligence science and technology. In terms of graduate training, it adheres to the combination of software and hardware (systems with algorithms), and synchronous development of methods and applications, continuously providing extraordinary talents for the country. It has received many teaching awards, such as first prizes in Tianjin Teaching Achievement Award and Teaching Achievement Award of Chinese Association of Automation (CAA).

Focusing on national needs, the Department insists on encouraging original basic research, crossover study and basic research for application. In the field of artificial intelligence and intelligent robot, it has domestically advanced laboratory equipment and experimental conditions and has undertaken a number of national major and key projects, won first prizes in Wu Wenjun AI Science & Technology Award, Tianjin Natural Science Award and many other significant scientific research awards, and been selected twice for Top 10 Developments of Science and Technology in China's Intelligent Manufacturing.

Graduates of the Department have a wide range of choices, and are in great demand and acclaimed by employers, nearly 25% of whom have their further studies abroad while others mostly pursue high-tech companies, entrepreneurship, further study at home, to make great contributions to Chinese artificial intelligence industry and information industry.