On the afternoon of December 19, the Communication Studies Concentration of the Master of Arts in Communication Studies at Beijing Normal–Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) hosted a special academic lecture, featuring Mr. Xin Jin, AI Product User Experience Researcher at Microsoft STC Asia, as the guest speaker. Centered on the integration of social science theories and artificial intelligence in product experience design, the lecture provided an in-depth analysis of how user experience (UX) research drives the practical implementation of AI technologies, with a particular focus on innovations and challenges in online meeting scenarios. The lecture was moderated by Dr. Qianying Ye, Lecturer of the Communication Studies Concentration.

Mr. Xin Jin delivering the lecture

At the beginning of the lecture, Mr. Jin shared his cross-disciplinary journey from academia to industry. He emphasized the deep theoretical connections between user experience research and communication studies, citing research on “human–machine communication” and “communication technology” within the International Communication Association (ICA) as key theoretical foundations for product design. By drawing insightful analogies between concepts in political communication and product development, he illustrated how to understand and enhance user “adoption” and “retention,” highlighting the powerful role of social science theories in addressing real-world product challenges.

The lecture then moved into an in-depth examination of several AI-driven research cases aimed at enhancing meeting experiences. Mr. Jin first introduced research on the “AI-generated meeting background” feature, which creates virtual backgrounds—such as “clean” or “stylish” environments—based on users’ real surroundings. Through detailed user interviews and questionnaire surveys, the research found that users’ primary motivations for using virtual backgrounds were to reduce environmental distractions and align their surroundings with the meeting context. Further data revealed that frequent users of this feature experienced significant improvements in immersion, engagement, interest, and enjoyment during meetings, demonstrating the positive impact of AI-powered personalization on meeting quality.

Mr. Xin Jin delivering the lecture

In terms of enhancing auditory experiences, the audience showed strong interest in Mr. Jin’s team’s research on spatial audio. By integrating both subjective and objective evaluation metrics, the study identified optimal spatial angles for achieving the best listening experience across different device modes: a 15-degree angle for headphone use and a 60-degree angle for speaker mode. These findings provide critical data support for optimizing audio design in online meeting platforms, aiming to make remote communication more immersive and directionally intuitive.

The final part of the lecture focused on cutting-edge explorations and existing challenges in applying AI to improve accessibility in meetings. Mr. Jin demonstrated real-time AI simultaneous interpretation technology capable of mimicking users’ vocal characteristics, while candidly acknowledging that current delays of 3–5 seconds may affect conversational fluency in multilingual meetings. Regarding sign language translation, he offered an in-depth explanation of the multimodal nature of sign language—including gestures, facial expressions, and body movements—as well as its regional diversity, noting that American and British Sign Language are not mutually intelligible. The research highlighted that delivering truly usable AI sign language translation services for deaf and hard-of-hearing users requires a high degree of customization, such as personalized settings for avatar gender, gesture speed, and facial expressions. This approach reflects a strong commitment to human-centered design and inclusivity in technological development.

Through a wealth of case studies, the lecture vividly demonstrated how rigorous user experience research serves as a vital bridge between cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies and real user needs. The session not only broadened students’ understanding of AI application scenarios but also underscored the enduring design philosophy of placing “people” at the center amid rapid technological advancement. The lecture concluded successfully with lively interaction and discussion.

Group photo of Mr. Xin Jin (left) and Dr. Qianying Ye (right)

Speaker Profile: Xin Jin

Xin Jin is an AI Product UX Researcher at Microsoft STC Asia, specializing in Human-AI Interaction, LLM Engineering, and AI Transformation. Recognized for bridging the gap between academic rigor and industry agility, he excels at translating behavioral insights into actionable product strategies.