Research on the Digitization of Chinese Cultural Industries in the Era of Digitalization and Intellectualization

In the contemporary era characterized by global integration and rapidly evolving information technology, society is advancing into a phase of digital intelligence at an unprecedented pace, primarily propelled by cutting-edge technologies such as big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. These advancements have profoundly influenced both the economy and society while infusing new vitality and limitless possibilities into the cultural industry. Based on this context, this paper serves as a literature review that thoroughly examines the trends in the digital transformation of the cultural industry and systematically organizes recent scholarly works on the integration of digital technologies within cultural industry from perspectives of both Western and Chinese scholars. Firstly, I explore the origins and definitions of the cultural industry before analyzing the effects or opportunities provided for cultural industries by digital technologies through various lenses: national strategy, technological foundations and applications, regional development dynamics in China’s cultural sector, as well as transformations along the cultural industry chain—including creation innovation, communication mode revolution, and enhancements to consumer experience. Concurrently, this paper addresses challenges posed by digital technologies such as intellectual property protection issues, digital divides, national governance over culture, etc. Finally, I propose expectations for future research endeavors that offer theoretical guidance and practical insights aimed at understanding and facilitating the digital transformation of China’s cultural industry while providing reference pathways for its high-quality development amid ongoing digitization and intellectualization efforts.