IDEI Professor Yulin Fang Showcases Cutting-Edge Research on Generative AI at PwC Seminar

(25 September 2025) Professor Yulin Fang, Professor of Innovation and Information Management and Director of the Institute of Digital Economy and Innovation (IDEI) at HKU Business School, was invited to deliver a keynote at the Human–AI Interaction (HAI) China Workshop, co-organized by the Oxford HAI Lab and PwC Shanghai on 25 September 2025.

The workshop brought together leading academics and industry experts to explore the frontiers of AI-enabled decision-making, governance, and transformation. Keynote speakers also included Professor Kejia Hu, Associate Professor of Management Science at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and Mr. Jasper Xu, Consulting Clients and Markets Leader at PwC China.

In his keynote presentation, “Generative AI, Performance and Wellbeing,” Professor Fang shared the latest research from IDEI’s Human–AI (HAI) Lab, which is dedicated to harnessing AI for both high performance and “superb humanity.” He introduced the IDEI AI Innovation Framework, a four-stage model comprising Discovery, Acquisition, Diffusion, and Impact, designed to help organizations align AI capabilities with evolving user and business needs and to create value across performance, learning, creativity, and dignity.

Drawing on studies conducted by the IDEI team, Professor Fang shows that GenAI-enabled presales systems improve the performance of average and lower-performing employees, while upgraded systems deliver benefits across all performance levels. The research also identifies potential risks, including diminished human learning and employee deskilling. To address these challenges, the team recommends designing GenAI systems that foster learning by encouraging deliberate rethinking and supporting post-work reflective practices.

The findings further revealed that artists who use GenAI increase the market value of their non-AI works by elevating aesthetic quality, enhancing incremental visual creativity, enriching content creativity, and strengthening community reputation. At the team level, GenAI supports collaborative creativity by stabilizing ideas and fostering exploratory thinking.

Professor Fang also discussed the impact of GenAI on human dignity. The research shows that AI-enabled serendipity boosts ideation performance, enhancing dignity, while AI-induced cognitive fixation leads to perceived dispensability, reducing dignity.

He concluded by introducing the AI Evaluation Lab (AIEL) at HKU Business School. AIEL is dedicated to systematically evaluating large language models (LLMs) from China and the United States across frontier domains. Its scope extends from natural language to cross-modal understanding, from general intelligence to domain-specific expertise, and from technical performance to responsible development.

Students' Sharings

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to visit Bloomberg. During the visit, the trainer spent an hour and a half teaching us some basics about the Bloomberg system, which was incredibly useful. It once again demonstrated the system’s powerful multifunctionality. At one point, the trainer even used the system to help us find highly rated nearby restaurants, which was very interesting and fun.”
(Jianheng Luo – TPG Student)

“Visiting Bloomberg’s Hong Kong office was a fantastic experience! The team showed us how to use the Terminal in simple, practical ways—from checking real-time market data to finding nearby restaurants (which was a fun surprise!). It really opened my eyes to how powerful the platform is, not just for finance but for everyday decision-making. The session made me excited about careers that mix tech, data, and global markets. Thanks for the inspiring tour—it gave me a clearer picture of where I want to go next!”
(Kate Cheng – UG Student)

“During the visit, I was deeply attracted to the working environment in Bloomberg, which provides a great place for us to meet and talk to each other. The training was very helpful as well. During the training, the trainer introduced the key functions in the Bloomberg system and demonstrated it in detail. I learnt a lot from the training. In addition, people there were really enthusiastic, allowing me to know different kinds of lives and get experiences from different people.”
(Hanyu Gu – UG Student)

“It was an incredibly enlightening experience. The trainers were exceptionally knowledgeable and patient, guiding us through the system’s robust features with expertise. I was particularly impressed by how the Bloomberg Terminal integrates real-time data, news, and analytics so seamlessly. It was fascinating to see how professionals use it to make split-second decisions in the dynamic world of finance. Learning even just the basics made me appreciate the depth and power of the system. I feel fortunate to have had this opportunity and it has definitely sparked a greater interest in finance for me.”
(Yahan Ma – TPG Student)

“I was particularly impressed by the abundance of detailed financial data. The visual demonstrations made complex information easy to explore and comprehend. Additionally, the engaging atmosphere fostered meaningful discussions, allowing us to exchange insights and opinions about Bloomberg, making the learning experience both informative and enjoyable.”
(Yan He – UG Student)

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to explore Bloomberg’s systems last week. The trainer provided clear guidance on accessing real-time financial data and analyzing market trends efficiently. The session deepened my appreciation for data-driven decision-making, while connecting with peers who share similar career interests made the experience both educational and motivating.”
(GuYi Zhao – UG Student)

RUNDOWN

Time	Speaker(s)	Descriptions
10:30-10:40	Prof Yulin Fang	Opening remarks and background
10:40-10:45	Mr Arthur Yip	Equipment introduction
10:45-11:15	Dr Zhepeng Li Ms Chen Wang (on behalf of Dr Shan Huang) Dr Dawei Wang Dr Weichen Wang	Demo examples on research application using HPC
11:15-11:20	Dr Bingjie Qian	Introduction about online booking / terms of use
11:20-11:30	Audience/Speakers	Q&A

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