“How can artificial intelligence empower innovation in economics and management?” On 29th May, over 100 undergraduate students from more than ten universities, including Wuhan University, Sun Yat-sen University, and Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (ZUEL), gathered to explore “Economic and Management Innovation in the Era of Artificial Intelligence” at the 4th Undergraduate “Co-discussion on Economics and Management”Forum. The forum was organized by the School of Business Administration (SBA) at ZUEL.
Professor Wu Haitao, Dean of the SBA, posed a thought-provoking question to student participants: “As AI increasingly integrates with economic management, how should future business talents seize opportunities and rise to new challenges?” He encouraged students to anchor themselves in core values amid the data revolution, broaden their perspectives through interdisciplinary exploration, and cultivate lifelong learning in a rapidly changing world.
SBA professors Ren Jianxin, Xi Yanle, and Associate Professor Lang Xiaojuan offered report from both theoretical and applied perspectives. Their speeches focused on “Applications of Reinforcement Learning in Economic Management”“The AI Wave and the Transformation of International Trade” and “AI for Sustainable Business: Leading the Future with Intelligence”. Each session included conceptual explanations, technical demonstrations, open discussions, and interactive exchanges with students.
In the afternoon, three breakout sessions were held under the themes of AI-Driven Business Transformation, AI and Green Development, and AI for Governance Innovation. 36 undergraduate students presented their research papers, which were reviewed and discussed by a panel of 10 SBA faculty members. Students from Wuhan University, Liaoning University, and ZUEL received First Prize and shared their reflections during the closing ceremony.
The event was also attended by Ge Ming, Deputy Director of the Student Affairs Office; Xiong Deng, Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee and Vice Dean of the Entrepreneurship School; Liu Zhenghua, Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Office; along with SBA leadership including Dean Wu Haitao, Secretary of the Party Committee of the SBA Yu Xiaopeng, Associate Dean Dong Ciwei, and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the SBA Nigaiti·Aimaiti. Outstanding participants in the Business Negotiation Competition and the “Research Stars of 2024–2025” were also awarded during the event.
The “Co-discussion on Economics and Management” Undergraduate Forum is an academic platform designed for economics and management undergraduates across Chinese universities. Now in its fourth edition, the forum has continued to expand its influence. In 2025, the forum is held under the broader context of building a strong education system and advancing China’s national digital education strategy, focused on exploring how artificial intelligence can drive educational transformation and spark innovation in economic management in the AI era.
