Tencent Uses AI and Gaming to Digitize UNESCO’s Jingdezhen Sites

The project centers on the Jingdezhen Porcelain Cultural Heritage Multimodal AI Dataset, which consolidates over 30,000 records, 5,000 ceramic specimens, and data from nearly 1,000 artifacts. By applying optical character recognition and natural language processing, the company has structured these scattered historical materials into a searchable digital foundation. This framework supports new applications, including an interactive global ceramics map and an AI-powered research companion designed to bridge the gap between academic archives and public accessibility.

To drive engagement, Tencent launched the game Digital Jingdezhen: Porcelain Craft Adventure. Utilizing procedural content generation, the software reconstructs the city’s five major heritage sites, allowing users to explore historical production scenes. The experience is augmented by AI-driven digital humans and 3D generation tools that allow participants to convert images into virtual ceramic forms. Beyond the screen, the company introduced the Digital Heritage Guardian program via the Weixin ecosystem, providing a platform for volunteers to contribute directly to the stewardship of the physical UNESCO sites. Zhan Shu, head of Tencent’s Digital Culture Lab, described the project as a method to unlock dormant archives and create a scalable model for heritage preservation that could be exported to other sites around the world.