Cyberport's Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum 2026 wrapped up its three-day run in Hong Kong on August 30, drawing more than 4,000 participants to explore how AI is reshaping digital entertainment and the cultural creative industries. The event, themed "The Dreamatic Circus," featured four experience zones covering digital entertainment, culture and arts, smart living and business, and robotics and drones, with over 35 interactive showcases and 27 workshops.
The forum brought together leaders from technology, entertainment, education, and the creative sectors to examine practical applications of AI in content creation, cultural preservation, and business. Attendees saw live demonstrations including an immersive art exhibition based on the Hong Kong animated IP Another World, combat robots from Jin Technology Limited, and an AI-powered fashion platform from Genesis ONE. An Art-Tech Concert, AI game creator workshop, and accessible esports sessions gave the public hands-on exposure to emerging tools.
AI's growing role in creative production
Day two centered on creative technology practice, with the "Hong Kong AI Game Jam 2026 & Creator Workshop" letting participants build games using AI tools under guidance from industry experts. The Hong Kong Blind Union powered an accessible gaming and esports experience, while the Cyberport Academy's AI Creative Micro-Academy offered sessions on generative AI for audiovisual storytelling and interactive game design.
A masterclass for the animated film Another World featured Polly Yeung, Chief Executive Officer of Gudo Inc., and BeeWon Lee, CEO and producer of SuperString Inc, discussing how the IP is being adapted for a global webtoon audience. The forum also screened the local animation To a Beautiful Time Gone By and selected works from AI-assisted animation production schemes, including Tai Lung Fung - Full Throttle Kitchen and Where The Ink Stays.
Dr Rocky Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Cyberport, said: "Artificial intelligence is accelerating transformation across the entertainment and creative industries. It is not only changing the way content is created, but also creating new opportunities for cultural preservation, artistic expression, and industry development."
Community engagement and cross-generational access
The final day focused on inclusivity and community. An "Elderly eSports Tournament & Experience Day" powered by Rotary Club of Smart Hong Kong invited senior participants to try esports and interactive activities, highlighting digital entertainment's role in social connection and lifelong learning. The event also hosted the "2nd Edition of Gen AI Student Social Challenge Award Ceremony," recognizing young talent who applied generative AI to social issues and cultural innovation.
For creators, the "Creator Conflicts Doujin Exchange" brought together illustrators and anime culture enthusiasts to promote collaboration within Hong Kong's original culture community. An "eVTOL Trial Flight Demo" at Cyberport Waterfront Park drew close to 1,000 visits, showcasing developments in Hong Kong's low-altitude economy.
Industry partnerships and infrastructure
Day one saw Cyberport sign memoranda of understanding with Alibaba Cloud, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and Hong Kong Shue Yan University, covering start-up incubation, AI applications, art-tech research, and talent cultivation. Cyberport, which houses Hong Kong's largest AI Supercomputing Centre and AI Lab, supports over 500 AI and data science start-ups among its 2,400 resident companies.
Why this matters for creatives
For artists, designers, and content creators, the forum's demonstrations point to a practical shift: AI tools are moving from experimentation into production workflows. The AI for Creatives applications on display - from AI-assisted animation production to generative tools for game design and fashion - suggest that studios and independent creators alike are expected to integrate these technologies into their pipelines. The Generative Art showcases at DELF 2026 indicate that funders and platforms are paying attention to AI-enabled work, which may affect how creators position their skills and portfolios in the coming year.
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