From National Vision to Practical Integration: AI Application in China’s Emerging Intelligent Media Ecosystem

Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs), is profoundly transforming media production globally, with China strategically positioning itself as a leader in AI innovation. While national policies emphasize AI integration across sectors, the practical translation of these high-level strategies into newsroom practices remains underexplored. This study presents a multi-level qualitative analysis to connect macro-level AI policy frameworks with meso-level institutional practices and applied AI use cases within Chinese media environments. Drawing from thematic coding of the 2023-2024 China Intelligent Media Innovation Development Report and empirical case studies of media-AI collaborations, the research identifies four core transitions: the shift to domain-specific LLMs, deep AI integration across editorial pipelines, increased cross-sector collaborative innovation, and growing attention to ethics, algorithmic transparency, and governance. While AI tools enhance efficiency and creativity, they also raise concerns regarding editorial control, automation bias, and professional integrity. The findings underscore that successful AI integration in journalism necessitates not only technical infrastructure but also institutional adaptation, professional reflexivity, and robust governance mechanisms. This research offers a situated, comparative perspective on sociotechnical innovation in media, contributing to the global discourse on responsible AI application within evolving communication systems.