Following China's national college entrance exam, or gaokao, which began on June 7 this year, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a new adviser for students and parents during the university application season. According to data from iiMedia Research, the number of users of AI-powered college application tools in China is expected to exceed 92 million in 2026. About 78.4 percent of candidates have used AI to search for universities or generate application plans, while more than 60 percent of parents regard AI-generated recommendations as a key reference. Around June 10, leading internet platforms including Alibaba's Qwen, Tencent Yuanbao, Baidu, and ByteDance's Doubao launched free application advisory services. On June 13, the Ministry of Education upgraded its "Sunshine Gaokao" system, offering a free, one-stop public service based on authoritative data. A Chinese expert said AI can help narrow information gaps, but major life decisions still require careful human judgment.