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Arts & Communication

ARTICLE
Digital and AI transformation in the

contemporary art industry in China

Emma Duester* and Ruyin Zhang
USC-SJTU Institute of Cultural and Creative Industry, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai,
China

Abstract
This study examines the digital and artificial intelligence (AI) transformation in
the contemporary art industry in China. This industry in China is undergoing a
distinct digital transition and is “ahead” of other countries, having fully integrated
digital technologies and AI (digiAI) into policies, regulations, organizations, and
professional practices. A systematic, large-scale national integration of digiAI has
led to its widespread adoption by artists and arts professionals. However, little is
known about how or when this rapid and extensive integration and subsequent
adoption occurred or about its impacts on professional practices. This study draws
on research conducted between 2023 and 2024, including 30 interviews with
contemporary Chinese visual artists, 23 interviews with arts professionals, a survey of
110 professional contemporary visual artists, and a systematic review of government
*Corresponding author:
Emma Duester policy. Findings indicate that the government began integrating digital technology
(emmaduester@sjtu.edu.cn) into the contemporary art industry in 2016, further promoted digital technology
Citation: Duester E, Zhang R. integration in 2021, and introduced regulations to support AI usage in 2023. The
Digital and AI transformation in data reveal a significant spike in the adoption of digital technologies by professionals
the contemporary art industry in between 2019 and 2020, followed by a rise in AI adoption in 2023. DigiAI has been
China. Arts & Communication.
2025;3(2):3822. accepted and now used across different kinds of arts professions, various types of
doi: 10.36922/ac.3822 visual artists, and several age groups. Digital and AI tools are now being applied in
both creative and non-creative aspects of arts practices.
Received: June 3, 2024
Revised: August 20, 2024
Keywords: Contemporary visual artists; AI; Arts professionals; Digital technologies; Digital
Accepted: September 3, 2024
transformation; Contemporary art industry; China
Published online: October 21,
2024
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article 1. Introduction
distributed under the terms
of the Creative Commons Digital technologies and artificial intelligence (digiAI) are reshaping professional practices
AttributionNoncommercial License, across various industries. Digital transformation is transforming many industries,
permitting all non-commercial use,
3
1,2
4
5
distribution, and reproduction in any including art, music, hospitality, and sports. Discussions on this transformation
medium, provided the original work typically focus on the importance of AI integration for industry development, its
is properly cited. potential to generate economic benefits, changes in job roles, and improvements in
5
Publisher’s Note: AccScience efficiency and accuracy. For example, Glebova et al. argued that artificial intelligence
Publishing remains neutral with (AI) integration in the sports industry will transform jobs by automating routine tasks
regard to jurisdictional claims in 5,6
published maps and institutional and create new roles that merge digital or AI skills with sports knowledge. Similarly, AI
affiliations. in the hospitality industry is predicted to drive economic growth, enhance operational

Volume 3 Issue 2 (2025) 1 doi: 10.36922/ac.3822