It is a great pleasure to congratulate everyone on the opening of the 27th Advanced Imaging International Festival,
AIIF 2026.

Today, artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming not only industry and society, but also the ways in which we create knowledge, experience images, and generate new value. In this era of change, interdisciplinary capabilities that combine technological understanding with artistic imagination, humanistic reflection, and creative practice are becoming increasingly important.

Chung-Ang University has continued to connect diverse fields of study and creative practice while fostering future generations capable of using new technologies creatively. AIIF is a meaningful platform that brings this vision to life across research, art, and education, while sharing its achievements with audiences in Korea and abroad. It is especially significant that researchers, artists, and students from different countries come together to exchange diverse perspectives and experiences and to create new possibilities for collaboration.

This year’s theme, “AI^ver.7.0: Dancing Signs,” explores how humans and artificial intelligence perceive and interpret images and signs differently, and how new meanings emerge from these processes. It is a timely theme that invites us to reconsider human creativity and perception, as well as the meaning of communication, amid ongoing technological development.

Through this festival, a wide range of research and creative achievements across exhibitions, conferences, and film programs will be actively shared, fostering new dialogue across different disciplines, cultures, and generations. These exchanges will also provide an opportunity to explore a shared path forward for art and content, as well as education and research in the age of artificial intelligence.

Chung-Ang University will continue to actively support education and research in artificial intelligence and advanced imaging, while fostering creative and interdisciplinary talent capable of engaging with the world and creating new value. Finally, I extend my sincere gratitude to all participants, and wish AIIF 2026 every success.

Thank you.