Academic Events

TOPIC

The Symphony of Data and AI: Orchestrating New Frontiers in Industrial Growth

TIME&DATE

 August 8, 2025 (Friday)

10:30 am -12:00 pm

Venue

Room D604, Teaching Complex D Building

Speaker

Liqiang Huang 

Zhejiang University 

Abstract

The advent of the global digital economy has elevated data to a fundamental factor of production, transcending traditional economic inputs such as land, labor, capital, and technology. Concurrently, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as the defining technology of this era, driving unprecedented transformation across industrial systems worldwide. The strategic integration of these two forces—data and AI—is actively reconfiguring global value chains and competitive landscapes. This paradigm shift has been formally recognized in China’s policy architecture, most notably through the 20th CPC National Congress Report, which explicitly identifies the development of a modern industrial system and the cultivation of strategic emerging industry clusters as national priorities, with data and AI serving as central pillars of this transformative agenda.

Despite this strategic imperative, significant structural challenges persist in realizing the full potential of data-driven and AI-powered economic development. The current landscape is characterized by inefficient data circulation mechanisms, suboptimal value extraction from data assets, systemic barriers to AI adoption in traditional industries, and an underdeveloped ecosystem for technological integration. These constraints collectively inhibit the transition toward higher-quality, innovation-led growth models that could fully harness the synergies between data and AI.

In this presentation, we will focus on a comprehensive examination of three critical dimensions essential for overcoming these challenges: the institutional frameworks required for effective data marketization and value realization; the breakthrough innovations needed in core AI technologies and their pathways to industrial application; and the strategic approaches for fostering mutually reinforcing development between data and AI systems.

Biography

Prof. Liqiang Huang is a full Professor at the School of Management, Zhejiang University. He is also the Vice Dean of the Polytechnic Institute, Zhejiang University. Liqiang’s research focuses on information system strategy and strategic information systems, as well as data elements and data asset management. His work has been supported by various prestigious funding programs, including the National Key R&D Program of China, National Social Science Foundation of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Outstanding Youth Fund of Zhejiang Province, as well as numerous corporate sponsorships. His research work has appeared in IS journals such as MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, and Journal of MIS. Currently, he serves as an Associate Editor for the journals like the Journal of Global Information Management and Information Technology & Management.