Artificial intelligence is accelerating a shift in the country's creative economy, making emotional engagement and immersive experiences increasingly important as the cost of producing digital content falls, according to business leaders from cultural, entertainment, and tourism industries.
The rapid adoption of generative AI has lowered barriers to content creation across industries, prompting companies to rethink how they attract and retain consumers as online content becomes more abundant and competition for attention intensifies, they said.
The comments came during a forum on Sunday marking the 20th anniversary of Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business' cultural and creative industries program, where business leaders discussed how AI, changing consumer behavior, and rising competition for online attention are reshaping growth strategies.
Li Yang, an associate professor of marketing at the business school, said companies can no longer rely solely on platform traffic and short-term exposure, arguing that brands increasingly need to build lasting emotional connections with consumers.
"The most interesting thing about marketing is understanding how people change," Li said, adding that shifts in media platforms and consumer behavior continue to reshape how companies attract attention.
