On April 22, our school welcomed a group of guests who had traveled across mountains and seas—participants from the Big Data and 5G Development Training Program for Belt and Road Countries and the Artificial Intelligence and Media Development Training Program for Developing Countries, organized by the Training Academy of the National Radio and Television Administration, came to our school for study and exchange. Over fifty international media professionals, including news officials, journalists, and technical experts from more than ten countries such as Bahrain, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Tanzania, and Trinidad and Tobago, gathered at the Media Experimental Teaching Center to experience an in-depth dialogue intertwining media and technology.
At the beginning of the event, Zhao Yu, the school's deputy dean, systematically introduced the school's development history, vision, disciplinary construction, and internationalization efforts to the international media professionals. The school's history can be traced back to the Department of Journalism established in 1958, one of China's earliest journalism education programs. Today, the school continues to transform amid the wave of artificial intelligence, constantly exploring the frontiers where digital technology and humanities intersect. Its international development model, characterized by Chinese distinctiveness and Zhejiang University's style, captured the interest of the international media professionals.
Subsequently, specially appointed associate researcher Yan Yuqian presented a series of case studies showcasing the diverse applications of artificial intelligence. With the help of AI technology, ancient paintings from the Complete Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings were dynamically rendered to reveal more three-dimensional artistic conceptions, allowing the international media professionals to vividly appreciate the profound beauty hidden within Chinese landscapes. The animated micro-drama Hundred Demons Ridge created an audiovisual experience blending reality and illusion through Eastern-inspired storytelling. The rural revitalization-themed micro-drama Where Dreams Begin used AI-generated natural landscapes of green mountains and clear waters as backdrops, depicting the prosperous life of China's countryside on its path to common wealth.
During the exchange, the media professionals showed strong interest in technical details such as AIGC, AI-generated content identification, MOCO, and virtual production, and engaged in lively discussions on topics like the application scenarios of AIGC tools and technological ethics. Is AI a replacement or a collaborative tool? How should we view students using AI tools in their assignments? Will AI reshape journalism and communication? The media professionals raised numerous questions about artificial intelligence. Technology is a tool, but emotional resonance is the soul, and While we worry about technological disruption, we also see AI's limitless possibilities, Zhao Yu and Yan Yuqian shared their perspectives on AI during the conversation.
After the exchange, the international media professionals also visited the teaching site of the Film and Television Production Practice course. Some media professionals from Africa were already familiar with the course instructor and Hundred Talents Program researcher Zhang Yong. In the classroom, Zhang Yong shared his creative experiences in both China and Africa, using specific case studies. Later, lab instructor Qiu Huang demonstrated how AI tools can enhance traditional green screen production for the media professionals.
During the screening of faculty and student works, the international media professionals gathered in the converged media studio to watch highlights from productions such as Between Warp and Weft, The China-Africa Bond of the Post-90s Generation, I Went to Africa, and Water Reborn Me. When scenes of Africa's magnificent landscapes and Chinese and African builders working together appeared on screen, cheers and applause erupted in the room. Many media professionals raised their phones to capture familiar images of their homelands and enthusiastically discussed them with their peers.
Several international media professionals expressed their institutions' intentions to further collaborate with our school, planning richer interactions in areas such as AIGC content production and cross-cultural communication. As AI technology transcends cultural barriers and media professionals shoulder the mission of cultural bridge-building, the Belt and Road is no longer just a geographical concept but a shared network of innovation and wisdom. A new silk road painting of mutual appreciation and shared beauty is gradually unfolding.