News

The first session of the “From Decision to Action: Hands-on AI Workshop for Senior Alumni”, organized by the AI Media Centre, School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, was successfully held. Professor Charles Feng, Co-Director of the AIM, welcomed the participants with an inspiring opening remark. The 25 senior alumni participated including representatives of the Communication Alumni Association: Mr Lo Bing Chung (President), Mr Stanley Mok (Vice-President) and Mr Horace Tam (Secretary and Treasurer).

The session was led by Mr Tik-fan Chan (TC), Advisor of the AIM.

The AI workshop series is designed to introduce senior alumni to the fundamentals of artificial intelligence (AI) while offering practical insights into its real-world applications. The programme aimed to help participants understand the development of AI in a clear and accessible way, providing hands-on opportunities to see how AI tools can be integrated into daily life, learning, and decision-making. As the opening session of a six-class series, the class began with a fundamental question: “What is AI?” 

TC systematically explained the relationships between AI, machine learning, deep learning, large language models, generative AI, and AI agents. The workshop introduced the basic concept and operational logic of AI agents. Through practical examples, alumni learned about the potential applications of these AI agents in areas such as travel planning and information organisation. They also gained a deeper understanding of how AI technology is moving towards more agentic and collaborative forms of intelligent assistance. 

During the hands-on practice session, alumni were guided by TC and supported by teaching assistants as they practised opening AI applications, entering prompts, uploading images, refining their requests, and reviewing AI-generated results step by step. Participants showed strong interest in using AI to colourise and restore old photographs, as well as generating recommendations for personal outfit and hairstyles. Alumni participants learnt through experimentation, exchanging ideas through discussion, and discovering how emerging technologies can enhance everyday life.  

The workshop also reminded participants that while AI is powerful, it is not always infallible. Drawing on the logic of generative AI, the instructor highlighted issues such as AI hallucinations, misinformation, privacy risks, scams, and identity misuse. The session emphasised that, in the face of rapidly developing AI technologies, users should actively learn and make good use of these tools, while maintaining critical awareness and striking a careful balance between convenience and safety. 

Mr Bing-chung Lo expressed his gratitude to the School for organising such a meaningful workshop. He noted that the programme has further strengthened the bond between the Alumni Association and the School of Communication, and expressed his enthusiasm for continued collaboration.

Following the workshop, Professor Bu Zhong, Dean of the School of Communication and the alumni continued their discussion on AI applications, the development of communication education, and the importance of lifelong learning for alumni. 

This session marks the beginning of the workshop series. Moving forward, the AIM will continue working with alumni to explore AI applications in various contexts such as health, daily life, learning and entertainment, as we embrace the new opportunities and challenges of the AI era together.