AI Meets High School: RUC's Frontier Technology Inspires the Next Generation of Innovators
To support the national initiative for integrated artificial intelligence education across primary, secondary, and higher education, faculty and students from the Huoqian Institute of Artificial Intelligence at Renmin University of China recently visited the High School Affiliated to Renmin University for its Artificial Intelligence Week. The visit featured a series of engaging activities, including an AI innovation exhibition, expert lectures, panel discussions, and AI-integrated classroom sessions, bringing cutting-edge AI technologies directly into the high school environment. Interactive Experience: AI Innovation Exhibition Eight cutting-edge AI projects developed by Huoqian Institute labs were showcased on October 17 and 24, offering students hands-on experiences with the latest advancements in artificial intelligence. These included the "Yulan-Wanxiang" large-scale model social simulation platform, "Human-Robot Collaboration: LeRobot Control Experience," the 3D world generation model FlexWorld, the AIGC travel photography all-in-one device, the "Miaoshou" AI research agent, the WeaveWave AI music generation model, the personalized knowledge tool ComindX, and the "Huishen" intelligent simulation courtroom system. The "Yulan-Wanxiang" social simulation platform, developed by Professor Chen Xu’s research team, leverages large language model technology to enable social science research through simulation and experimentation. Users can describe a scenario in natural language, and the system automatically generates the corresponding code and simulation environment, significantly lowering the programming barrier. The platform includes 50 pre-built simulation scenarios across eight domains—economics, society, politics, psychology, management, public health, law, and communication—and features an "AI Social Researcher" that autonomously handles the full research cycle, from problem analysis and scenario construction to report generation, offering a new paradigm for AI-powered social science research. Professor Hu Di’s team led the "Human-Robot Collaboration: LeRobot Control Experience," where students operated robotic arms in real time using master-slave arm coordination, experiencing the precision and interactivity of human-machine collaboration. The student-led robotics club, the first of its kind at Renmin University, recently earned second place in the "Medicine Sorting" category at the 2025 World Humanoid Robotics Games. The WeaveWave project, developed by undergraduate student Zhang Jingchao’s team, explores new frontiers in AI-driven music creation by integrating text, image, audio, and video data. Using a natural language-driven generation framework, it enables users to create music quickly and flexibly, opening new possibilities for creative expression. The "Miaoshou" platform, developed by PhD student Zhang Yang’s team, is an AI agent designed to automate the research process. It addresses common challenges in academic work—such as time-consuming literature reviews, complex experimental design, and lengthy report writing—by offering end-to-end automation from topic discovery to final report generation, significantly improving research efficiency. Led by Professor Xu Jun, with contributions from students Sun Zhongxiang, Zhao Jiahao, Wang Qipeng, and Yu Weijie, the "Huishen" project builds a large-model-powered simulation courtroom system. By combining legal reasoning with AI generation, it simulates the full judicial process involving judges, lawyers, and witnesses, offering a powerful tool for advancing smart justice. The ComindX personalized knowledge tool, developed by a student team, is an AI-native learning platform featuring a "personal cognitive engine" that understands individual thinking patterns. It seamlessly integrates search, organization, and content creation, delivering targeted learning materials, connecting scattered notes and ideas, and supporting tasks like report writing and academic paper drafting. Professor Li Chongxuan’s team, led by Chen Luxi, presented FlexWorld—a 3D world generation model that transforms a single 2D image into a 3D Gaussian splatting representation. Designed to address the ambiguity in 2D-to-3D conversion, especially in wide-angle (over 180°) scenarios with occlusion, FlexWorld holds significant potential for fields like archaeology and navigation where 3D data is hard to obtain. The AIGC travel photography all-in-one device, developed by Professor Lu Zhiwu’s team, is a smart interactive system powered by a self-developed multimodal large model. It delivers immersive, personalized photo experiences and has already been deployed in museums, science centers, tourist attractions, and large exhibitions—serving as a practical example of AI in smart tourism. Practical Insights: Advancing Integrated AI Education On October 24, at the "Intelligent Empowerment, Infinite Possibilities—Beijing AI-Powered Education Innovation Forum and 'AI+X' Interdisciplinary Teaching Exchange Event," Li Yanli,党委书记 of the Huoqian Institute, shared how the institute supports K-12 AI education through professional resources, diverse programs, and hands-on initiatives. Professor Wei Zhewei, Deputy Director of the Institute, emphasized the need to build a collaborative ecosystem led by universities, connecting primary, secondary, and higher education to leverage university research, curriculum, and faculty expertise in nurturing future AI talent. On October 17, during the "Implementing the Education Conference Spirit, Promoting Science Education" seminar at the high school, Wei introduced the institute’s "undergraduate and graduate integrated" talent development model, showcasing real-world cases of AI empowering youth innovation and providing a practical blueprint for a unified science and engineering education system from kindergarten to university. Thought-Provoking Dialogue: AI + Law in the High School Classroom On October 22, Professor Xu Jun delivered a compelling lecture titled "How AI Can Empower Judicial Trials" to students and teachers at the high school. Using real-world examples, he demonstrated how AI can enhance legal processes, improve efficiency, and promote fairness and accessibility in the justice system. The session sparked lively discussion, with students asking thoughtful questions and engaging in deep conversations afterward. The dialogue extended into teaching workshops, where high school educators and Professor Xu explored ways to integrate AI ethics and technology governance into "AI + Ideological and Political" education. Looking ahead, the Huoqian Institute of Artificial Intelligence at Renmin University will continue to implement the State Council’s "AI+" initiative, aiming to develop scalable, replicable models for AI education that can be shared across Beijing and the nation.
