Beijing hosted the 4th PubTech Conference on June 15, where global leaders gathered to discuss the intersection of publishing and artificial intelligence. The event, themed "Re-imagining the Publishing Landscape: AI Empowered Future", served as a crucial platform for exploring how technology is changing scholarly communication and its implications for publishers, researchers, and the academic community.
Over 300 delegates from 13 countries attended, including representatives from publishing houses, research institutions, libraries, and tech companies.
The conference was organized by the China National Publications Import & Export (Group) Co and co-organized by industry bodies such as the China Periodicals Association and the International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers.
Lin Liying, president of the China National Publications Import & Export (Group), opened the event by emphasizing that while business models and tools evolve, the core mission of publishing — spreading knowledge — remains unchanged. She highlighted the company's commitment to enhancing international collaboration, especially in AI-driven knowledge services.
He Manchao, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, echoed this sentiment, calling for a unified approach to the AI revolution. He stressed that the future of knowledge creation depends on stronger connections between research, publishing, and technology sectors, grounded in open sharing and research integrity.
The conference's keynote session explored these themes through four perspectives.
Wang Chengshan, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, discussed AI's practical applications in academic journal publishing; Nancy Chescheir, the chair of the Committee on Publication Ethics, tackled ethical issues; Hylke Koers, chief information officer at STM Solutions, advocated for shared industry infrastructure in scholarly publishing; and Molly Zhang, vice-president of Wiley China, envisioned transforming academic publishing into a trusted knowledge ecosystem. Their talks highlighted that AI is changing not only publishing efficiency, but also governance, trust and the wider role of publishers in the research ecosystem.
Following the keynotes, panel discussions examined the specifics of technology. Experts from international publishers, tech companies, and research institutions debated AI's impact on editorial workflows, data management, and knowledge discovery. These discussions went beyond automation, considering the shift toward connected, user-driven platforms and how publishers can better support researchers throughout their work.
The conference concluded with a session on practical applications. Representatives from Tencent Cloud, Wiley, and CNPIEC Kexin Technology showcased real-world uses of AI in publishing. These case studies demonstrated how AI is optimizing workflows, supporting research innovation, and building advanced knowledge services, translating the day's discussions into actionable industry solutions.
