Tianjin Digital Human Timeline

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Tianjin is rapidly becoming a key hub for digital human development and AI integration across multiple sectors. The city has launched numerous initiatives including AI-powered digital humans in government services, education, port logistics, tourism, broadcasting, and live commerce. Major players like Cloudwalk Technology, Huawei, and local institutions have contributed to innovations such as PortGPT and the “Tianjin Port Digital Human” called “Tiantian”. Digital humans are now used in virtual teaching assistants, immersive tour guides, and livestream e-commerce platforms. Tianjin AI startups offer tools for generating customized digital human avatars from photos or videos. The government has introduced action plans to promote AI development, aiming for over 100 billion yuan in AI-related revenue, and established professional certification systems for digital human engineers. Universities and research institutions are deeply involved, offering training, launching joint projects with industry, and experimenting with AI applications in fields ranging from logistics to medicine.

PortGPT is China’s first large-scale AI model specifically developed for ports, jointly created by Tianjin Port Group, Cloudwalk Technology, Huawei, and the National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin. It is designed to support six major application areas: port production, logistics services, customer management, customer service, video analysis, and office assistance. A key feature is the digital human assistant “Tiantian”, which serves as the user-friendly interface and interaction point for PortGPT, handling tasks such as shift handover meetings, general Q&A, corporate presentations, and real-time operational queries. Tiantian provides a more natural and engaging way for employees and managers to access data and insights, improving efficiency and making AI adoption more approachable. Since its launch, PortGPT has been showcased at international shipping expos, where it has demonstrated improvements in cargo scheduling, logistics optimization, and intelligent data-driven operations, marking the world’s first application of a generative AI large model in the port industry.

Tianjin Hongmeng Ecological Technology Co., Ltd. (tjhmst.com), operating under the brand Hongmeng Ecology, is a Tianjin-based technology company specializing in digital human video production, livestreaming, and AI-powered media services. It serves as a Huawei Cloud general agent and operates the Huawei Tianjin Developer Innovation Center, offering solutions that combine AI with digital transformation across sectors such as enterprise marketing, cultural events, education, and corporate communications. Its services include digital human creation, livestream hosting, event and conference marketing, and business training, positioning it as a key contributor to Tianjin’s growing role as a national hub for digital human innovation.

Tianjin Hongteng Digital Technology Co., Ltd. is a Tianjin-based company specializing in digital human livestreaming and AI voice services, with recognition in China’s official algorithm registries for its role in deep synthesis technologies that generate digital human video content from user-provided audio and video inputs. Positioned within Tianjin’s growing digital human ecosystem, the company focuses on providing interactive, AI-driven media solutions for sectors such as e-commerce, broadcasting, and online engagement. Its business activities place it among the emerging players contributing to Tianjin’s strategy of advancing digital human applications in cultural, commercial, and communication domains.

Tianjin Hengda Cultural Museum Technology Co., Ltd. is a leading Chinese company specializing in museum technology, immersive cultural tourism solutions, and digital human systems. The company has developed interactive AR/VR exhibition guides and digital human tour systems, such as virtual dinosaur guides that enable “time-space dialogues” for audiences in museums and cultural exhibitions. It has been recognized nationally, with its immersive metaverse and digital human solutions included in China’s official lists of innovative tourism technologies and cultural heritage programs. Hengda has also participated in major events like the National Digital Cultural Heritage Conference and collaborates with institutions such as the National Museum of Nature. With over two decades of focus in the cultural technology sector, the company integrates artificial intelligence, metaverse applications, and digital human innovations to enhance cultural communication and tourism experiences.

In January 2025, Baidu established its Digital Industry Innovation Base in Tianjin Tiankai Jinnan Park, operated by Baidu Intelligent Cloud (Tianjin) Technology Co., Ltd., making it the first new business license issued there that year. The base includes a Data Annotation Center at Hualu Future Tech Park to support AI ecosystem projects and a Qianfan Large Model Empowerment Center at Tiankai Smart Town’s Kaiwu Garden, which provides developers with Baidu’s Qianfan platform, free AI tools, and vertical model applications in industries like steel, integrated circuits, and precision equipment. The facilities cover 8,000 square meters, employ over 200 data annotators, and serve as a hub for more than 2,000 innovation-driven enterprises, including companies developing AI digital human interactive systems, positioning Tianjin as a key site for Baidu’s AI ecosystem expansion.