GBA Forum
Culture X AI 2024-2025: GBA Forum organised by the Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in Design (AiDLab) with the Culture and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) as the lead sponsor, was held on 25 October 2024 (Friday) at Park Hyatt Shenzhen. This forum brought together top experts from the realms of technology, design, cultural industries, creative communities, and academia to delve into how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the future of cultural and creative industries.
From left to right, Prof. Calvin Wong, CEO and Centre Director of AiDLab; Hong Kong fashion designer Sophia XinLi; Prof. Zang Yingchun, Acting Dean of Tsinghua Arts and Design Institute in Milan; Internationally renowned artist Dr. Kan Tai Keung; Mr. Li Jie, the Director of the China Fashion Science and Technology Innovation Research Institute; Dr. Bai Ziqian, Assistant Professor of School of Systems Design and Intelligent Manufacturing, Southern University of Science and Technology and Prof. Jeanne Tan, Professor of School of Fashion and Textile, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Distinguished guest speakers were invited to explore different aspects of artificial intelligence in the realm of culture and creativity. Prof. Calvin Wong, CEO and Centre Director of AiDLab, highlighted in his welcome speech, "The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry was awarded to scientists engaged in artificial intelligence research, marking a new era of AI+ technology. Today, let's focus on AI+Art and explore the innovative practice of AI in fashion design and culture."
Prof. Calvin Wong elaborated on the theme "New Era of Fashion Design: The Integration of Human Creativity and Artificial Intelligence", explained how AI collaborates with designers to create fashion designs that are creative and in line with market demand. He also shared the latest development on AI-assisted design, showcasing how human-machine collaboration can drive the development of the fashion industry forward. His team is leveraging the Artificial Intelligence-Based Interactive Design Assistant for Fashion (AiDA) system to enhance the design process and speed up development, resulting in unique and inspired creations.
Prof. Zang Yingchun, Acting Dean of Tsinghua Arts and Design Institute in Milan, explored the theme "The Current and Future Roles of AI in Fashion and Culture", discussing how AI is transforming the creative, production, and consumption patterns in the fashion industry, as well as its impact on cultural heritage and innovation. Prof. Zang is an expert in clothing culture research, intelligent textile clothing design research, and digital fashion research. Prof. Zang looks to the future that AI must not only overcome technological barriers but also incorporate cultural sensitivity and diverse expressions, addressing data biases and ethical issues. This shift, from a purely instrumental role to deeper creative collaboration, will help foster a more inclusive and sustainable model for innovation in fashion and culture.
Mr. Li Jie, the Director of the China Fashion Science and Technology Innovation Research Institute, brought extensive experience in smart clothing manufacturing and digital transformation to the table. He has been involved in numerous smart clothing manufacturing and digital transformation projects for brands like Anta and Li-Ning. In his presentation, "The Application and Development of Generative AI in the Clothing Industry", Mr. Li shared insights on how AI plays a role in various aspects of clothing design, production and sales, driving the digital transformation of the clothing industry. He provided a comprehensive analysis of the potential applications of Generative AI across various segments of the fashion industry. He also shared insights on successful practices in enterprise digital transformation and explored the significant opportunities for AI-powered innovation in the fashion sector.
Internationally renowned artist Dr. Kan Tai Keung addressed the theme "Not to Be a Tool – Creative Culture and Future in the New Era". In his remarks, Dr. Kan discussed the preservation of uniqueness and human values in artistic expression in the context of the advent of AI. As an artist with a global reputation, Dr. Kan shared his unique insights on the relationship between AI and human creativity, emphasising the significance of maintaining artistic integrity. In the context of the current era of technological advancement, in which AI is becoming a transformative force in the design field, he adheres to the principle of using tools wisely, making good use of AI. Humans have invented intelligent tools, but we should "not to be a tool" ourselves; we should become the owner of AI, rather than its slave.
A highlight of the forum was the panel discussion titled "Future Vision for AI in Design and Culture for the Future" moderated by Dr. Bai Ziqian, Assistant Professor of School of Systems Design and Intelligent Manufacturing, Southern University of Science and Technology, where Prof. Zang Yingchun, Dr. Kan Tai Keung, and Hong Kong fashion designer Sophia XinLi engaged in a profound dialogue on the current and future roles of artificial intelligence in the fashion domain. They discussed the current status and future challenges of AI in the fields of fashion and design. They also examined the role of AI technology in design, creativity and cultural inheritance, and opened several possibilities for future development.
Prof. Jeanne Tan, Professor of School of Fashion and Textile, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, expressed, "Culture X AI 2024-2025 provides a unique platform for highlighting Hong Kong's innovative creations on a global scale by uniting leading experts in culture, design, and innovation. We are thrilled to join forces with all esteemed speakers and practitioners to explore the intersection of culture and AI, pushing boundaries to bring fashion designs to life beyond the digital realm."