Following the success of HKUST’s 2nd AI Film Festival (AIFF), Prof. FU Hongbo, Acting Head of the Division of Arts and Machine Creativity (AMC), dived into the rapid evolution of AI content creation and the pioneering research behind it during a recent interview on RTHK’s “Vibrant Hong Kong”. The episode also featured AMC student DU Haoyu, who shared his perspectives as the winner of the AIFF’s Best Student Film Award sponsored by Minimax, along with other award-winning creators from the festival.

Prof. Fu discussed the growing global influence of the 2nd AIFF, which attracted more than 1,300 submissions from nearly 80 countries and regions. He emphasized the role of the AIFF as a premier platform for creators worldwide to explore new possibilities in AI filmmaking, while addressing emerging trends in AI-generated content—including the collaboration between human creativity and machine intelligence, the evolving nature of authorship, and the outlook of the film industry.

"AI can do things that human beings are not very good at, allowing us to focus more on high-level work such as directing. Humans plus AI can improve efficiency,” Prof. Fu said.

Haoyu reflected on his experience using AI as a creative tool and explained the inspiration behind his award-winning film “Where the Ink Stays”, which combines a historical narrative with a distinctive 2D animated visual style. He also shared his excitement about receiving the award and the encouragement it brings to his future creative work.

Beyond the broadcast, the Division continues to spearhead innovation at the intersection of art and technology. AMC recently hosted its Master of Arts Graduation Show, opening its doors to the public to showcase student-led interactive installations and generative AI films. Building on the success of HKUST's AIFF, AMC expanded its regional impact by sharing its expertise and successful framework with the inaugural Hong Kong International AI Film Festival launched in May this year.

Watch the program here (23m18s – 39m32s): https://www.rthk.hk/tv/dtt32/programme/vibranthongkong/episode/1108126