AI and Esports Innovative Application Competition signals new vistas for China-ASEAN cooperation in digital sports

Photo shows the finals of the 2025 AI and Esports Innovative Application Competition held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Liu Luyao)

The 2025 AI and Esports Innovative Application Competition concluded on Nov. 24 in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, unveiling a wave of projects that blend technological creativity with strong market potential.

Covering fields such as artificial intelligence (AI)-powered esports research and development, AI-enabled event operations, immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, and esports health management, the finalists demonstrated the breadth of possibilities unlocked by the integrated development of AI and esports.

As an important part of the competition series of Guangxi's "AI for All: China-ASEAN" competition, also known as the "AI Super League," the event was hosted by the region's big data development bureau under the theme "Smart Empowerment, Brilliant Esports."

A total of 24 teams from China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries went head-to-head, presenting innovative solutions that highlight how AI can empower the esports ecosystem.

A number of standout projects, including achievements in immersive industry applications, an AI-driven control and health assurance system for esports, and a solution exploring the "digital survival" of intangible cultural heritage, garnered widespread attention by virtue of their forward-looking technical concepts and application potential.

A contestant delivers a project presentation during the finals of the 2025 AI and Esports Innovative Application Competition held in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Liu Luyao)

An awards ceremony followed the finals, where teams received honors recognizing their excellence in overall project quality, potential, innovation, and technology.

During the event, the host established platforms to facilitate the efficient commercialization of relevant achievements, helping reach cooperation intentions on project incubation, implementation, and policy support between participating enterprises and teams and local government departments, such as the regional department of science and technology and the big data development bureau.

A series of thematic sharing sessions held during the event offered cutting-edge perspectives and practical insights for industry development, strengthening the synergy among competitions, industry, and talent.

Presenters and winners of the award recognizing excellent technologies pose for a photo at the awards ceremony of the 2025 AI and Esports Innovative Application Competition in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Wei Huan)

As an important initiative under the region's Digital Guangxi strategy, the competition has proven effective in attracting global innovation resources and addressing key challenges in esports technologies and industrial development.

It also supports Guangxi's ambition to grow into an esports hub serving China and ASEAN, building a bridge for exchanges and cooperation between China and the ASEAN member states in digital sports.