Hubei Digital Human Timeline

December 2, 2023: 37th International Conference on Computer Animation and Social Agents (CASA 2024) was announced to be held June 5-7, 2024 in Wuhan focusing on animation and social agent intersections.
October 22, 2023: Hubei&#8217;s digital character &#8220;Chuchu&#8221; debuted at Donghu Forum with highly realistic appearance and real-time interactive communication, affectionately called the &#8220;Hubei Girl.&#8221;
October 22, 2023: AI voice assistants transformed TV experience for elderly in Hubei&#8217;s Shunjing community through virtual assistant &#8220;Xiao Jia&#8221; enabling voice-controlled weather forecasts and smart TV interaction.
July 13, 2023: Zhongying Media Technology announced establishment of first digital human live broadcast base in Huazhong region focusing on unmanned live broadcasts using artificial intelligence technology.
June 17, 2023: <a href="https://meta-guide.com/business-directory/2049492/huawei-building-a-fully-connected-intelligent-world">Huawei pushed upgraded version of digital human technology focusing on three fundamental aspects of Metaverse technical support during Partner and Developer Conference.
April 15, 2023: Chinese Academy of Sciences Interactive Digital Human Platform &#8220;Zidong Taichu&#8221; received software copyright approval from Institute of Automation and Wuhan Institute of Artificial Intelligence.
April 26, 2023: Hubei Consumer Finance Company introduced virtual digital human &#8220;Xiao Yu&#8217;er&#8221; at 8th Anniversary Celebration capable of real-time interaction with on-site personnel.
February 27, 2023: FBEC Conference featured Wu Lianpeng, General Manager of Hisense Jukan AR/VR Division, discussing application trends of virtual space and digital human interaction.

Notes:

Hubei Province’s key initiatives include the launch of various AI digital humans for healthcare (such as “Yibao’er” for medical insurance consultations), education (like “Rongrong,” “Tongtong,” and “Huaxiaoyi” for teaching and administration), culture and tourism (including virtual spokespeople like “Chuchu” and “Hubeer”), and government services (with “Xiaoxiang” serving citizens in administrative tasks). These digital figures are integrated into platforms such as Alipay, university systems, and public service apps. Additionally, Hubei institutions are advancing digital human IP rights, immersive exhibitions, and AI curriculum integration, while the province also plays host to national-level digital education events and competitions.

The provincial capital Wuhan has launched numerous AI digital humans across sectors such as education (an AI psychological companion for youth), healthcare (medical guide systems with DeepBlue Technology), culture and tourism (a hyper-realistic tourism ambassador integrated with Baidu’s ERNIE Bot), and public services (community AI grid workers and environmental AI avatars). Companies such as Black Mirror Technology (metamaker.cn), Trigger Technology (whchufa.cn), Wanrui Technology (verytech-official.com), and Dashengji Technology (dasoundgen.com) are driving technological innovation in areas like high-fidelity avatars, virtual broadcasting, and immersive VR experiences. Universities including Wuhan University, Huazhong Normal University, and Wuhan University of Science and Technology are involved in research and infrastructure development, such as digital anatomy labs and AI-enhanced classrooms. The Wuhan Artificial Intelligence Research Institute plays a key role in advancing foundational models and industry applications.