Between 2022 and 2023, Hubei’s digital human development is best understood as an ecosystem-seeding phase in which visible outcomes cluster around demonstrations, early commercialization, and institutional R&D anchoring rather than standardized provincial rollout. In 2022, Wuhan appears as the primary node where digital human applications are showcased in large digital-intelligence and industry events, with accompanying commercial signals including a naked-eye 3D virtual character example (“Qi Xiaomo”) and local-market activity around virtual-human service provision; the practical emphasis in this period is on interactive experience, media-tech presentation, and the feasibility of production pipelines. In 2023, the pattern broadens into experimentation plus institutionalization: a forum debut of a digital character (“Chuchu”) positioned as real-time interactive, the appearance of a corporate-facing consumer-finance digital human (“Xiao Yu’er”), and the emergence of an interactive digital human platform (“Zidong Taichu”) tied to Wuhan’s automation and AI institutions indicate that the province’s trajectory is not only about front-end showpieces but also about building reusable technical capability, including multimodal interaction and platformization.
In 2024, the province’s digital human activity shifts from isolated showcases to cross-sector diffusion, with education, culture, and public service becoming more legible as deployment contexts and with Wuhan still the densest concentration point. Education becomes both a talent pipeline and an application domain: vocational and higher-education programs explicitly teach rapid creation of AI digital humans for livestreaming workflows, while short-video and live-stream informational personas such as “Teacher Xiao Qiao” reflect a production-to-distribution pathway that links digital human creation skills to monetizable communication formats. Cultural heritage and tourism also become clearer as “scene” types: museum deployments such as the Yunmeng Museum “Time Gate” kiosk frame digital humans as interpretive interfaces that mediate artifacts and local narratives for visitors, making cultural institutions a recurring venue for public-facing digital human interaction design. Public-service experimentation becomes visible through prototypes such as an AI veterans’ affairs assistant in Wuhan and a local-government assistant (“Xiao Xiang”) in Yicheng, which taken together indicate multiple front-desk style service trials rather than a single standardized government platform. Commercialization and scaling logic also becomes more explicit in this year’s record, including a Wuhan-based digital human generation system marketed around extremely fast avatar creation and a data/IP licensing arrangement that allows a named digital human (“Chu Shiqi”) to use datasets in local product promotion; these details matter because durable scale requires lawful data sourcing, rights management, and repeatable content operations, not only model capability.
In 2025, the development arc becomes an institutionalization phase in which digital humans diversify into more specific roles while the enabling environment tightens and formalizes through governance, industrial roadmaps, workforce pathways, and cost-reduction instruments. Data governance is positioned as a foundational layer, with the Hubei Data Regulations (湖北省数据条例) scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2025, which matters for digital humans because advanced systems depend on data access, compliant processing, and traceable usage contexts. The provincial AI-industry roadmap is framed as combining growth and supervision, including a filing mechanism for certain generative-AI services, which is directly relevant because digital humans often combine generative content, knowledge retrieval, and multimodal interfaces that can produce high-impact errors, bias, or unsafe outputs if not controlled. At the same time, adoption capacity is reinforced through workforce and commercialization infrastructure, including large-scale training capacity and designated in-demand programs that include livestream e-commerce, aligning human capital with the production demands of digital human content operations. Compute-cost support also functions as a practical accelerator, reducing the marginal cost of building and operating model-driven digital humans, which is especially significant for organizations trying to move from one-off pilots to stable, service-level deployments. In deployments, the year reads as a widening of domain-specific roles, including education-oriented digital teaching assistants (“Rongrong,” “Tongtong”) and school-oriented AI companions, showing that education is not only producing creators but also adopting digital humans as ongoing pedagogical or administrative actors; cultural deployments similarly broaden through museum guides and additional symbolism or organizational-representation figures, indicating expansion beyond single mascots toward a catalog of purpose-built personas.
From 2026 to 2027, the arc is best treated as the planned scale horizon in which the policy machinery for repeatable adoption is intended to mature, with digital humans positioned to move from pilot-heavy experimentation into routinized procurement, deployment, and operational support across multiple sectors. The 2027 targets define the scale frame for the broader AI economy, including an AI industry scale target of 350 billion yuan by 2027 and an ambition for Wuhan to enter a first-tier national cohort of AI-city development by 2027, which together signal the expectation of large-scale application deployment rather than niche demonstrations. The “scene” mechanism functions as the translation layer between capability and adoption: a provincial scene innovation service platform is intended to deliver high volumes of scene services, run matchmaking events, and identify large numbers of demand projects, creating an institutional channel through which digital humans can be specified as deployable solutions within standardized “scenes” such as government services, cultural tourism, education support, and commerce. In this framing, the most important longitudinal signal is whether digital humans become repeatable, budgeted services with defined operating models, governance compliance, and procurement pathways, replacing ad hoc showcases with scalable delivery. Any highly specific showcase claims that cannot be corroborated beyond a single narrative account should be excluded from the core longitudinal claims or clearly separated as unverified examples so that the timeline remains suitable for comparative analysis across years rather than blending confirmed policy milestones with anecdotal deployments.
[Feb 2026]
2025
May 27, 2025: Wuhan Textile University showcased “Zhihui Yunshang” AI digital try-on experience and 3D virtual fitting training platform at the World Digital Education Conference, combining traditional Chinese clothing with advanced digital technology.
May 18, 2025: Yunmeng County Museum partnered with Hubei Unicom to launch AI-powered “Time Gate” cultural AI kiosk featuring avatars of historical figures such as Qin Shi Huang, Mi Yue, and Yu Ji.
May 17, 2025: Central South University of Economics and Law introduced the first digital teaching assistants in Hubei province, named “Rongrong” and “Tongtong,” developed by students from the Sino-Korean New Media College.
April 21, 2025: Central China Normal University No. 1 High School unveiled “Hua Xiaoyi,” the province’s first AI digital human for secondary education, designed by alumnus Li Kewei and developed using AI modeling and DeepSeek integration.
March 31, 2025: Shuming Technology’s AI digital guide “Jing Xiaochu” at Jingzhou Museum demonstrated ability to explain artifacts in 143 languages, founded by Chinese returnees from Silicon Valley and based in Wuhan’s Optics Valley.
March 30, 2025: Wuhan’s Binjiang Future Experimental Primary School introduced AI companions “Xiao Wei” and “Xiao Lai” for learning support and emotional care of students.
March 24, 2025: Digital human modeled after water quality expert Wang Qiong was introduced at the Yangtze River Economic Belt Water Economy Expo, developed by Huazhong University of Science and Technology using 72 industrial cameras.
March 5, 2025: Hubei Telecom developed a digital human modeled after Zhang Min, General Manager of China Telecom’s Hubei branch, using digital twin and deep neural network technologies integrated with large models like DeepSeek.
March 5, 2025: Hubei Federation of Trade Unions introduced Hui Xiaolan, a cultural digital human created through digital hand-drawing, AI, and 3D modeling to embody historical and cultural symbolism of Mulan.
February 25, 2025: Wuhan startup evolved into a “metaverse factory” attracting over a thousand university students to participate in virtual content creation, now producing over ten virtual hosts per month.
February 17, 2025: Hefei Artificial Intelligence and Big Data Research Institute applied for patent titled “A Multimodal Digital Human Generation Method and System” to enhance digital human interactivity with users.
January 9, 2025: Hubei Taiyue Satellite Technology Development Co. applied for patent titled “A Scene Interaction Optimization Method and System for Virtual Digital Humans” to optimize virtual digital human interactions.
January 6, 2025: Hanyang District in Wuhan released virtual image spokespersons “Zhi Xiaoyin” and “Han Xiaoyang” as the first urban virtual image spokesperson creation project in Wuhan.
2024
December 17, 2024: Wuhan Food Safety Science Popularization Base incorporated digital human “Kang Kang Jie” to enhance public understanding of food safety through interactive experiences.
December 4, 2024: International digital industry forum in Wuhan highlighted the growing role of digital humans, hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s International Economic and Technical Cooperation.
November 25, 2024: Robby Luo, 29-year-old Wuhan entrepreneur, leads team developing AI-driven digital humans including “Xiaodou” bus tour guide and “Jing Xiaochu” cultural expert for museums and events.
November 7, 2024: Huanglongshan Community in Wuhan introduced AI-powered “digital grid workers” available 24/7 for resident assistance through WeChat mini-app.
November 5, 2024: Taiyuan City Library introduced AI-powered digital human screen offering immersive reading experience through AI-enabled voice interaction and intelligent Q&A features.
November 3, 2024: Yicheng City in Hubei Province introduced AI-powered digital government assistant “Xiao Xiang” leveraging AI, multimodal interaction, and government services knowledge base.
October 28, 2024: Huiye Technology raised tens of millions of yuan in Pre-A+ round financing led by GL Ventures to provide AI-driven technical services for virtual beings.
October 27, 2024: “AI Night—Run, AI China” event organized by People’s Daily Online featured digital humans including Baize cross-modal AI model and digital Su Dongpo for cultural experiences.
October 24, 2024: Qunar Travel launched “Lingfeng,” the first interactive digital human in online travel industry, operating 24/7 to introduce hotel features and amenities.
October 23, 2024: Hubei launched first data intellectual property licensing project enabling digital human “Chu Shiqi” to use datasets for promoting local geographical products through Wuhan AI research institute agreement.
October 17, 2024: Wuhan Wanrui Technology unveiled AI-based high-precision virtual digital human generation system that can create digital avatars in just one second.
October 13, 2024: Henan Province advanced development of AI digital humans across multiple sectors including live streaming, cultural heritage, education, and public services.
October 12, 2024: Virtual human company Huiye Technology received tens of millions of RMB in Pre-A+ round financing led by Hillhouse Ventures to provide solutions for virtual human interaction and performance capabilities.
October 11, 2024: “Hubei Province Digital Intelligence Integration and Virtual Digital Human Application Innovation Symposium” was held at Hubei University, hosted by Dean Yu Yifeng.
October 1, 2024: 2024 China Digital Human Conference took place in Beijing with “4th Digital Human Showcase” and digital human scenario application case collection event launching online.
September 29, 2024: 2024 China Digital Human Application Scenarios featured service digital humans including smart customer service and government consultation applications.
September 7, 2024: “Star Interactive Digital Human” AI-powered product was launched for government services integrating large models, virtual image generation, and natural language processing.
August 11, 2024: AI digital human named “Jing X” enhanced romance at matchmaking event in Wuhan’s East Lake High-Tech Zone during Qixi festival celebrations.
July 17, 2024: Study found that affective pedagogical agents in online learning environments, including virtual characters, were more effective at boosting positive emotions than human instructors.
July 13, 2024: Zhongying Media Technology launched first digital human live broadcast base in Huazhong region located in Guanshan Poly International Center focusing on unmanned live broadcasts.
July 12, 2024: Research on digital human narrative scenarios found anime-like digital humans generate more positive emotional responses and higher purchase intentions for eco-products than human-like versions.
July 10, 2024: Wuhan introduced “Wu Xiaokai,” the first AI veterans’ affairs assistant, developed by Song Kai of Jingnet Technology Co., leveraging advanced AI and virtual reality.
June 30, 2024: Hubei Preschool Education College’s AI Academy introduced virtual digital human “Teacher Xiao Qiao” on Douyin providing detailed school information during live streams.
June 9, 2024: “Hannan Sweet Corn Cultural Festival” in Wuhan featured AI digital human modeled after staff member Ms. Hu conducting continuous livestreams for product promotion.
June 6, 2024: Business-intelligence of Oriental Nations unit teamed with Intel on “digital employee” development gaining market recognition.
June 1, 2024: AI Digital Humans brought ancient Chu treasures to life at Yunmeng Museum through “Time Gate” cultural AI kiosk partnership with Hubei Unicom.
May 24, 2024: China Entertainment Equipment Technology Association held technical exchange meeting in Wuhan focusing on AIGC solutions for broadcasting industry with digital human applications.
May 13, 2024: Wuhan Software Engineering Vocational College students learned to create AI digital humans for livestream sales, completing the process in just three minutes.
April 4, 2024: Research paper introduced development of AI-driven 3D interactive photorealistic digital human system emphasizing evolution from manually illustrated figures to AI-enhanced avatars.
March 29, 2024: Jingchu Network launched virtual host “Chu Chu” and virtual video platform at 2024 Hubei Data Content Conference powered by smart media metaverse technology.
March 12, 2024: Original Force specialized in creating hyper-realistic and interactive digital humans for various applications including AI-powered customer service and virtual assistants.
March 1, 2024: Unilumin advanced virtual human technology showcasing integration of AI and LED displays through various projects including virtual human “Lumin.”
February 7, 2024: Integration of AI and digital employees across various industries in Hubei Province included companies like Hubei Qiyue Cultural Media and Dongfeng Company’s R&D Institute.
February 7, 2024: Zidong Taichu multimodal AI model was developed through partnership between Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wuhan Institute of AI as world’s first system understanding data across multiple formats.
2023
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’s digital character “Chuchu” debuted at Donghu Forum with highly realistic appearance and real-time interactive communication, affectionately called the “Hubei Girl.”
October 22, 2023: AI voice assistants transformed TV experience for elderly in Hubei’s Shunjing community through virtual assistant “Xiao Jia” 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: 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 “Zidong Taichu” 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 “Xiao Yu’er” 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.
2022
November 22, 2022: 2022 China 5G+ Industrial Internet Conference opened in Wuhan with theme “Integrating Everything with Digital Intelligence” featuring digital human applications.
October 28, 2022: Virtual human company Huiye Technology raised tens of millions of yuan in pre-series A+ funding led by GL Ventures with Shunwei Capital participation.
October 22, 2022: Virtual human “Qi Xiaomo” appeared in Wuhan as first naked-eye 3D virtual human character created by Wuhan Windows Century Media Technology and Unilumin.
October 12, 2022: Virtual human “Qi Xiaomo” showcased in Wuhan bringing intimate, interactive and immersive experiences using Unilumin‘s content production and visual effects capabilities.
September 30, 2022: “Zidong Taichu” demonstrated new artificial intelligence scenarios including customized car avatars and intelligent sign language “translators” at gathering of 45 companies.
June 17, 2022: Huawei pushed upgraded version of digital human technology at Partner and Developer Conference 2022 focusing on Metaverse technical support fundamentals.
April 16, 2022: Artificial intelligence brought rise of “artificial intelligence trainers” profession with vehicle driving AI trainers teaching systems like “Xiao Ai classmates” to understand music and emotions.