AI is rapidly transforming how we create, experience, and understand culture. As the line between human imagination and machine computation continues to shift, the interface—where humans and technology meet—has become a key site of interaction and possibility. It offers new ways to rethink communication, emotion, and cultural practice, and opens deeper conversations between technology and culture.
On July 8, 2025, the USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI) hosted the 2025 Youth Space Workshop, themed “Interfaces of Imagination: AI, Creativity, and Futures of Cultural Experience.” The workshop, held in collaboration with the International Association of Cultural and Creative Industry Research (IACCIR), opened with remarks from Mr. Ding CHEN, Director of the Shanghai Online Audio-Visual Industry Base, and Deputy Director Bofu ZHENG. It brought together scholars from the IACCIR Round II projects and eight emerging scholars from top institutions—Imperial College London, Nanyang Technological University, Hong Kong Baptist University, Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Fudan University, and Xidian University—for an intensive, interdisciplinary exchange.
A Decade of Growth:
Youth and the Future of Cultural Innovation
Professor Weimin ZHANG, Dean of ICCI, delivered the opening remarks. He reflected on the Institute’s ten-year journey of integrating art, management, and technology in education. With strong research labs and SJTU’s top-tier academic resources, ICCI has supported 30 international projects and made advances in areas like AI and the digital preservation of cultural heritage—earning global recognition such as the Red Dot Award.
Professor ZHANG emphasized that this Youth Workshop, the first international academic event after ICCI’s tenth anniversary, reflects the values of openness, collaboration, and innovation. By bringing together young scholars from around the world, the event aims to break disciplinary boundaries and explore new paths for culture and creativity in the age of technology. The opening ceremony was hosted by Professor Ke XUE, ICCI’s Vice Dean.
Unconference in Practice:
A Collaborative Experiment in Knowledge-Making
Unlike traditional conferences, this workshop used an “unconference” format—reducing one-way lectures and focusing on co-creating cutting-edge knowledge. The key idea: knowledge grows through sharing. Instead of looking for “right answers,” participants explored diverse perspectives, engaging in open, equal dialogue that sparked fresh insights and deeper thinking. The event embraced values of generosity, interaction, and mutual respect.
Professor Bu ZHONG, Dean of School of Communication at Hong Kong Baptist University, opened the discussions by encouraging young scholars to stay open-minded. He stressed that engaging with different viewpoints helps broaden understanding and build a stronger, more meaningful academic journey.
Exploring Cultural Innovation in the Age of AI
The workshop featured two sessions: “Beyond Binaries: Posthuman Creativity in Theory and Practice” and “Reframing Experience: The Intelligent Turn in Cultural Practice.” In themed group discussions, scholars explored how AI is transforming creativity, communication, ethics, aesthetics, and human-machine interaction. They recognized AI’s potential to boost efficiency and reshape creative processes, while also addressing concerns like loss of personal expression and blurred ethical lines.
The conversation centered on two key ideas: imagination—the future of tech-culture symbiosis, and interface—the critical point of human-AI interaction. Scholars agreed that a human-centered, critical, and cross-disciplinary approach is essential to exploring new models of coexistence between humans and AI, offering fresh insights from China’s youth to global cultural innovation.
This youth workshop brought together diverse ideas—from using technology creatively to reflecting on its impact on humanity, from personal experiences to global perspectives. It wasn’t just an academic exchange, but also a way to imagine how humans and machines might shape the future of culture together. As the idea of an “interface” suggests, when the hard edges of technology meet the soft power of culture, open dialogue and inclusive collaboration can lead to more vibrant and meaningful cultural innovation.