On the morning of February 26, the 57th HNU Distinguished Scientist Lecture was held at the auditorium of the Social Sciences Complex, Hainan University. Zhang Ping, Counselor of the State Council and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, delivered a lecture entitled 6G Vision, Standardization Trends, and Future Directions. In attendance were Zhang Zhaotian, Former Executive Deputy Director of the Department of Information Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), and Li Hu, Chairman of the HNU Council, as well as other university leaders including Zou Yonghua, Liu Qian, Li Buhong, Chen Jun and Yang Zhixin. Vice President Chen Jun presided over the event.

The lecture is in progress. (Photo by Liao Dandan)

Starting with the development from 3G to 6G, Zhang expounded on the basic features of consistently upgrading communication technologies and thus analyzed the bottlenecks confronted by traditional communication. Focusing on the high demand for data broadband in the era of AI, he systematically presented the dilemma in the development of the traditional communication systems and highlighted the importance of 6G research. Drawing on his own research experience, he elaborated on the need for the integrated development of AI and communication technologies and clarified key topics, including the integration of the “three theories” (Systems Theory, Information Theory, and Cybernetics), the logic behind AI and communications, the impact of communications on AI, general AI, networked AI empowered by future 6G, and its future design.

Zhang said that the traditional theoretical paradigm of communications can hardly meet the merging demands from the rapid development of artificial intelligence, and diverse data requirements generated by massive IoT devices urgently call for support from more efficient communication paradigms. He explained the core advantage of modern semantic communication and clarified the basic issues and relative theories of semantic information as a new communication paradigm. From the respects of both the application and physical infrastructure, Zhang Ping introduced the progress made by him and his research team in tackling the core technologies of ComAI, as well as research achievements including the construction of the first field trial network. He also shared his thoughts and practices on semantic communication satellite experiments and key technologies for semantic satellite communications.

Zhang delivers his lecture. (Photo by Liao Dandan)

The lecture hall was at full capacity. In Q&A session, Zhang Ping engaged with the audience in vibrant exchanges on topics ranging from theoretical innovation in semantic communication and 6G technological breakthroughs to satellite communication tests

The audience asks questions. (Photo by Liao Dandan)

The lecture was attended both online and in person. Among the participants were representatives from Hainan Association for Science and Technology, heads of various schools and departments at HNU, and faculty and students from multiple HNU campuses, including Haidian, Danzhou, Mission Hills (the Chengxi Teaching Site included) and Yazhou Bay.