2025 ChinaJoy highlights ways AI is leveling-up China's gaming market

Chinese game makers are in Shanghai to showcase their latest products at the ongoing 2025 China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference, or ChinaJoy, where creative uses for AI to enhance gaming experiences have taken center stage.

Asia's largest digital entertainment gala opened in Shanghai on Friday, with over 700 entertainment firms bringing their most exciting games to the four-day event.

An engaging game that allows players to chat with various characters has captured the attention of visitors. Each character boasts a distinct personality, while the generative AI learns from conversations to adapt to players' emotional needs.

The game is expected to go online in October, taking aim at markets like Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia.

"I think as a whole the big trend is that if you think about users today, people want higher quality games. The user demand has changed a lot. People also express themselves within the games. And so I think AI allows games to be developed better, allows more expression within the games. So again, there's many ways that we're using AI," said Lu Cheng, CEO of the game's developer, CreateAI.

It is estimated that over 80 percent of Chinese game makers are incorporating AI. The emerging technology not only enhances the user experience but also supports game designers.

"If a man uses one day to complete a project, AI only needs 20 seconds to accomplish 80 percent of the work. Human designers use half an hour to one hour to complete the remaining job," said Lin Rui, head of the art center at Shengqu Games.

In 2024, the market value of generative AI in the global gaming industry reached over 1.4 billion U.S. dollars, with an annual growth rate of over 25 percent, according to analytic institution market.us.

A powerful winter storm swept through Toronto and surrounding areas on Thursday, causing school closures and travel delays as heavy snowfall reduced visibility and affected transportation services.

Meteorological authorities warned that heavy snowfall would greatly reduce visibility, while local transportation officials reported that several roads had been completely closed and major surface transit routes were operating at reduced speeds due to the storm.

Toronto Pearson International Airport officials announced Thursday that air traffic control measures had been implemented due to severe weather, affecting several inbound and outbound flights. Meanwhile, several local school boards in Toronto fully suspended classes, while others enacted partial closures in response to the storm.