CHINA: AOTO played a central role in the 2026 Virtual Production Contest (VPC), supporting one of China’s leading university competitions for virtual production through technical training, industry engagement and educational initiatives designed to bridge the gap between academia and professional production.

Held on 18-19 July at the Shanghai Film Academy of Shanghai University, the national finals brought together students, educators and industry professionals from across the country. As the event’s Official Technical Support Partner, AOTO contributed throughout the programme, providing technical expertise while demonstrating how AI and XR technologies are increasingly shaping virtual production education and professional content creation.

Recognised as a dedicated track of the China Collegiate Design Competition & Exhibition under Milan Design Week, this year’s VPC attracted nearly 1,500 students and faculty members representing 94 universities and 112 academic departments. A total of 350 projects were submitted, with 46 teams progressing to the national finals.

Reflecting the growing role of artificial intelligence in creative production, the 2026 competition required every finalist to incorporate AI into their production workflow, encouraging participants to explore new approaches to storytelling and virtual production.

Ahead of the finals, AOTO hosted a series of practical workshops at its Shenzhen headquarters, giving participants hands-on experience with professional virtual production workflows, including 4KK virtual production, XR content creation and real-world production environments. The company also participated in regional education forums and organised visits to university virtual production laboratories, providing students with greater exposure to professional production technologies.

AOTO’s involvement extended to the competition itself, with Wu Wei, Vice Chairman and Vice President of AOTO, serving on the judging panel alongside representatives from academia and the industry to evaluate the finalist projects.

The company also participated in the Virtual Production Roundtable Forum, where Zhao Peng, Director of Domestic Sales at AOTO, joined university representatives and industry leaders to discuss the impact of AI on content production, virtual production education and industry-academia collaboration. The discussions highlighted the growing demand for graduates who combine creative talent with practical technical expertise and AI-driven production skills.

During the awards ceremony, AOTO presented the AOTO Special Recommendation – Best Virtual Production Project Award, recognising outstanding achievements in virtual production, XR storytelling, virtual-real integration and innovative applications of artificial intelligence.

According to the company, the initiative forms part of its broader commitment to developing future talent in the virtual production sector. AOTO has established more than 130 professional LED virtual production studios worldwide and maintains long-term partnerships with over 20 universities, with programmes such as VPC providing students with practical experience using the technologies and workflows increasingly adopted across the global virtual production industry.