International visitors hear about AI, innovation during visit to Tsinghua journalism school

The three-city tour is designed to provide the international youth representatives with an in-depth understanding of China's technological advancements through visits to key institutions, city planning projects, and interactive experiences with industry experts. (TSJC photo)

By HANNAN GILLANI

Global Business Journalism reporter

Participants in the 2024 Future Close-Up Tour visited Tsinghua University's School of Journalism and Communication on June 18, with the visit to China's top university marking a highlight of their eight-day exchange program in China. The initiative, jointly organized by China International Communications Group's Center for the Americas and Tencent, focuses on exploring China's technological innovations.

The diverse group of international youth representatives from more than 20 countries, including Ireland, Italy, Indonesia, Portugal, Russia, and the United States, represents a range of industries such as cybersecurity, Web3 technology, fashion, media, academia, and consulting.

Chen Su discusses generative AI and traditional Chinese culture. (GBJ photo by Rick Dunham)

The Tsinghua session began with an introduction by Professor Rick Dunham, co-director of the Global Business Journalism (GBJ) master's program. Professor Dunham provided an overview of the School of Journalism and Communication and highlighted the unique and innovative aspects of the GBJ program.

Following Professor Dunham, Su Chen, a journalism master's student at Tsinghua, delivered an in-depth analysis of "AI Generated Content and Chinese Culture." She introduced participants to popular Chinese generative artificial intelligence applications such as Wenxin, Zhipu, and Kimi, demonstrating how these AIGC tools generate illustrations and paintings infused with rich Chinese cultural elements.

The final presentation was delivered by Tsinghua international journalism graduate student He Yixuan, who offered an introduction to the Chinese media landscape and popular social media apps, providing participants with a comprehensive overview of the current media environment in China.

The session concluded with a Q&A segment, where participants engaged with the speakers to deepen their understanding of the topics discussed. Afterward, everyone enjoyed lunch and took a group photo to commemorate the visit. The participants then departed for their next destination, continuing their journey of exploring China's technology sector.

The 2024 Future Close-Up Tour, running from June 13 to June 20, includes visits to Beijing, Xiong’an, and Shenyang. It is designed to provide the international youth representatives with an in-depth understanding of China's technological advancements through visits to key institutions, city planning projects, and interactive experiences with industry experts.