From July 13 to 26, 2026, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Global Summer School “Exploring AIGC in Cultural and Creative Industry” was successfully held at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University–USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry (ICCI).
Nearly 50 students from the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Chile, and China participated in the program. Through courses covering the AIGC project development workflow, students explored how narrative methods, audiovisual language, and hands-on practice can be integrated with cutting-edge industry experiences and team-based projects.
When students from more than ten countries gathered together, AIGC became more than a technological topic—it became an experiment in imagination and collaboration. Through cross-cultural communication and interdisciplinary cooperation, students gained new perspectives on the application of AIGC technologies within the cultural and creative industries.
Professor Ting HAN Delivers Welcome Speech and Introductory Lecture
In the introductory lecture, Professor Ting HAN, Distinguished Professor, Dean and Secretary of the CPC SJTU ICCl Committee, introduced the development of human-machine intelligence integration. He emphasized that while technological tools continue to evolve rapidly, creators’ humanistic thinking and aesthetic judgment remain irreplaceable core capabilities. He encouraged students to broaden their perspectives through cross-cultural and interdisciplinary collaboration, using AI to improve efficiency while maintaining human-centered creative directions.
Wanjun LU, Appointed Expert and Mentor for Drama, guided students through the ice-breaking course “Another Me.” Through role-playing, physical interaction, and self-exploration, students gradually overcame hesitation and opened themselves up. Through authentic and engaging interactions, students rediscovered their own strengths and limitations, while also recognizing the unique qualities of their classmates. This process of self-awareness, mutual understanding, and interpersonal connection rooted in real experiences represents a foundation of creativity that algorithms cannot simulate or replace.
Di LU, Visual Effects Course Senior Advisor of MPA-ICCI Hollywood Film & Television Talent Camp, guided students from creative motivation, story models, visual styles, IP development, and pitching strategies toward a complete creative mindset. By combining cinematic language, editing rhythm, and music functions, he helped students establish a full workflow from concept development to final production
Di LU used film case studies, and practical exercises to help students understand the relationship between visuals, sound, and storytelling. He emphasized that AIGC is not only a tool for improving efficiency but also requires creators to continuously make narrative choices, aesthetic judgments, and emotional expressions. By progressing from foundational methods to integrated practices, the course enabled students to deepen their understanding of creative production through the combination of cinematic language and AIGC tools, while continuous viewing, discussion, and experimentation provided a strong foundation for their subsequent team-based AIGC projects.
During the case sharing session, AIGC film director Luoping ZHANG shared his AI creation experience from a director’s perspective, including story development, thematic expression, camera selection, and production workflows. Through real cases, students further understood the importance of directing thinking in AIGC visual creation and recognized that while technology expands forms of expression, creators must remain responsible for emotional depth, rhythm, and overall artistic direction
At Yuewen, students explored the IP development pathway from online literature to comics and film/television content, as well as the application of artificial intelligence in content adaptation and cross-language communication.
At Waving Cube, students experienced interactive projects centered around the Three-Body IP and AI-generated digital characters through facial capture technology, exploring the integration of technology and spatial storytelling.
At Moonton, students experienced the journey of a leading global game company, from entrepreneurship to international expansion, and gained insights into the globalization of Chinese game development
These three visits—from IP creation and immersive experiences to global expansion—provided students with a complete view of how AIGC empowers the cultural and creative industry ecosystem.
During the program, students worked in groups on AIGC short film projects. From story development and character design to visual and sound design, each team strengthened communication, collaboration, and creative problem-solving through teamwork.
ICCI also opened the Intelligent Music and Film and Television Sound lab, the CG Creativity and Technology Laboratory, and CSW Lab. Yu WANG and Wenxin SUN provided guidance for each group, while Di LU continued offering suggestions to help students transform creative ideas into complete works.
At the final presentation and closing ceremony on the afternoon of July 24, each group introduced their creative concepts, team roles, and production processes, presenting diverse short films covering science fiction, realism, fantasy, and other genres. These works demonstrated students’ ability to combine AIGC technologies, cinematic language, and teamwork within a short period of time.
Awards including Best Director, Best Script, Best Performance, Best Editing, Best Producer, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Score, and Best Team were presented to recognize students’ dedication and achievements.
In 2026, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Global Summer School “Exploring AIGC in Cultural and Creative Industry” entered its second year. Building on previous experience, the program further strengthened course depth and industry connections while achieving upgrades in project development and team practice.
Over two weeks, students completed the full AIGC short film creation process from concept and storytelling to visual development and final production. They gradually developed their own project proposals and creative workflows, while gaining cross-cultural friendships and deeper reflections on the relationship between technology and humanity.
Although the program has concluded, creativity continues. We hope students will carry forward the narrative thinking, aesthetic judgment, and cross-cultural collaboration skills gained from this experience, maintain independent judgment in a rapidly changing technological environment, and continue exploring and expressing themselves in the AIGC era—allowing artificial intelligence to truly become a force that expands creativity and expression.
Special thanks to the following organizations for their support:
Foundation: Dreamina Foundation — "AI Video Technology Empowering Higher Education Teaching Enhancement Project"
AIGC Teaching Tool Platform: AZ8
Enterprise visits (in chronological order of visits): Waving Cube, Yuewen, Moonton
Written by: Shiyi Huang & Minying Qiu
Layout: Xinwen Ma
Video Editing: Xiao Yuan & Minying Qiu