Hetao Vision: Innovative AI Video Competition (UABBHK 2025)
Competition Brief
Purpose
Artists in the competition will have to bring to life AI generated video works that visualize the future of the Hetao Shenzhen Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Co operation Zone (Hetao). The issue that the competition seeks to tackle is how the themes of connectivity, innovation and inclusiveness in a technological future might determine the evolution of architecture, urbanism and community life.
Intent
The competition’s main aim is to use the video, which is made totally with AI tools, as a way to showcase the architectural and urban futures. It invites innovative thinking about the changes in space, society and technology, thus making it possible for the participants from all over the world to present their imaginative visions of the future Hetao.
Jury
The organizers list the following individuals as members of the judging panel:
- Adrian Christopher Notz, independent curator based in Zurich, former co curator at Kunsthalle Zurich, lecturer at ETH Zurich, linked to AI+Art Program at ETH AI Center
- Arturo Tedeschi, author of Algorithms Aided Design and design ambassador based in Milan
- Alvin Yip, Adjunct Professor of Architecture and Director of Indra and Harry Banga Gallery at The City University of Hong Kong
- Kam sing Wong, former Secretary for the Environment (2012 to 2022) HKSAR Government and Adjunct Professor at the School of Architecture, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Christian J. Lange, Associate Professor, Faculty of Architecture at The University of Hong Kong
- Stanley Tho, representative from Hetao Shenzhen Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Park
- Xiao Sima, Chief Planner of HTCZ and Principal Planner at Shenzhen Institute of Urban Planning and Design
- Zhenhua Li, international curator of New Media Art and curator at Light and Image Pavilion at Art Basel Hong Kong
Prizes
| Outcome | Reward / Recognition |
|---|---|
| Winner (each category) | Certificate + one month subscription to Archmaster.ai + featured promotion |
| Shortlisted Finalists (2 per category) | Certificate + online exhibition exposure |
| Qualified participants (general) | Certificate of recognition co issued by the organizers |
Fees
Participation is free. There is no entry fee.
Timeline
| Event / Stage | Date / Detail |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | 19 November 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 26 December 2025 at 23:59 HKT |
| Judging period | 27 December 2025 to 7 January 2026 |
| Awards ceremony | 24 January 2026 during the UABB closing ceremony |
| Screening event | February 2026 at Hetao Shenzhen |
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The Hetao Shenzhen Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone is the one behind the UABBHK 2025 AI Video Competition, which is accompanied by a jury of curators, architects, urban planners, and representatives from Hetao and academic institutions that ensures high professional transparency and credibility. This event is a serious and professional academic exercise, not only a promotion, but it draws the attention of the public to the videos created by AI imagining decorative futures for urbanism and architecture. The awards consisting of certificates, one-month subscriptions to Archmaster.ai, and online exhibition exposure are small when compared to the technical effort required to make a 60-second AI video, which means that the competition is more like an opportunity for the generation of ideas and portfolio-building than a financial gain. Although access to advanced AI tools might limit full participation, participants can still benefit practically through recognition, experimenting with AI-driven design, and contributing to the discussion on the future of urban technology. The jury members come from different areas like curation, architecture, urban planning, anddigital media, so they can give a multidimensional framework for evaluation. However, subjectivity in assessing conceptual strength and innovation remains a potential factor affecting outcomes.
Critical Analysis
Clarity and Definition of Brief
The competition has laid down its deliverables which consist of a 60-second AI-generated video and a brief concept description with the technical specifications of 1080p and 24fps that the video must meet. This step makes it clearer for the participants what is expected from them, thus preventing any doubts from arising.
The different aspects of the theme- connectivity, innovation, and inclusiveness- have got a sufficient scope so that they can be interpreted in a varied manner and at the same time, the relevance to the urban and technological setup of Hetao is not lost.
Creative Freedom vs. Evaluation Subjectivity
Even though the artistic liberty granted to the creators promotes the innovation process, it also increases the subjective aspect of the evaluation. How judges determine what is innovative or what is a good urban future vision varies from one judge to another, hence even the technically clear-cut results may be unpredictable.
Resource and Access Inequality
Participation is free of charge but nevertheless the condition of producing AI generated videos might put those at a disadvantage who do not possess access to the latest in AI technologies or have poor computer hardware. This goes against the theme of inclusiveness and may give an edge to the more technologically equipped participants.
Intellectual Property and Ethical Considerations
The participants are constrained to relying on tools that create original content because all the visuals and audio have to be AI generated and no live or stock footage is permitted. That comes with certain risks, as some AI tools have licensing arrangements that are hard to understand and ownership rights that are not clear.
Transparency of Judging and Selection Process
By making a complete list of jurors public, the competition facilitates and augments transparency and opens a window into the viewpoints that influence the evaluation. Although the scoring system which is based on five factors: creativity, technical execution, theme response, and clarity is published, the weighting could still lead to the selection of visually striking outputs over profound conceptual content which may adversely affect projects with limited tools.
Potential Impact and Relevance
The competition is strategically positioned at a significant overlap point of AI, architecture, and city making. By directing its attention to a specific area of development, the proposed concepts can be integrated into the discussions about smart cities and technological urban futures, which are currently taking place.
On the other hand, storytelling through a 60-second video only might limit the airing of ideas to visual sequences that are driven by visuals and are likely to favor the spectacle over the essence.
Conclusion
The UABBHK 2025 AI Video Competition has distinct criteria, an open evaluation process, and no entry fees, which makes it structurally open to participating. Nevertheless, unequal access to high-end AI tools, potential subjectivity in judging, and vagueness around AI content ownership are some of the practical limitations that still exist.
Those who can intertwine creative and brilliant concepts with a high-quality technical production of AI video will be the ones to benefit the most from the competition. Creators with limited resources may still produce good work, but they might find it difficult to compete with the technologically equipped ones at the same level.
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