The brief

One of world’s leading companies in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, iFLYTEK is also the creator of the online learning platform ‘AI Academy’, a public source of AI knowledge and incubator scheme for emerging tech talents and idea sharing.

‘Meet AI and Future’ is one of the Academy’s large-scale offline programmes. Held six times per year, the event invites experts and scholars to discuss the latest developments in the fast-moving artificial intelligence (AI) sector and share knowledge with an eager audience.

For the Shanghai edition in 2018, iFLYTEK engaged with Pico to provide operational management services and to create a suitably futuristic setting for the lectures – ‘a fantastic campus for AI developers’.

Creative execution

The experience journey of the programme divided into four parts: admissions, orientation, new student challenge, and kick-off ceremony. For participants, registration via QR code opened the way to a scholastic adventure, with the environment transformed by the careful addition of books, chalkboards and other classroom items. A dynamic, futuristic feel was provided by glowing streaks of light on some installations.

Among the event’s most popular features was an interactive quiz game proposed by the team. It used a mobile app specially developed and managed by iFLYTEK to generate questions related to the event’s theme. Users’ answers were tracked, scored and ranked, with gifts given as rewards. Other interactive elements were tied directly to the event’s various exhibition areas, and also included a popular photo op zone featuring a large metal ‘AI’ sculpture.

Results

Shanghai’s ‘Meet AI and Future’ proved a strong draw for media, as well as for over 1,000 participants who came to enjoy the experience and hear the ideas of more than 10 leading AI scholars and industry experts.