Welcome! I am Xinzhi Zhang, Associate Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Media and Communication at the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK).

My research focuses on digital journalism, political communication, technology and global governance, and computational social science. I study how AI and media innovation—such as Generative AI and digital platforms—are reshaping news production, public engagement, and policymaking. My research centers on how human-AI collaboration can enhance creativity and productivity while safeguarding information integrity. I also address the ethical and policy challenges of AI-driven human communication, advancing responsible innovation and promoting an informed, equitable society. My research profile is on Google Scholar.

I have authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles in top-tier journals such as Human Communication Research, Journal of Communication, Digital Journalism, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Information Communication & Society, Social Media + Society, and International Journal of Press/Politics, earning top paper awards from the International Communication Association (ICA) and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). Here are my publications.

My work has been funded by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC), a prestigious internationally competitive funding scheme, and the Public Policy Research Funding Scheme (PPR) by the Hong Kong SAR Government. Here are my funded research projects.

Before joining CityUHK in 2024, I was an Associate Professor in the Department of Journalism and the Department of Interactive Media in the School of Communication at the Hong Kong Baptist University and the founding Programme Director (2019 - 23) of Master of Science in AI and Digital Media, a pioneering postgraduate program of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region.

Currently, I serve on the editorial boards of four top journals in media and communication, including Human Communication Research, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Digital Journalism, and Chinese Journal of Communication.

I also actively contribute as a columnist to leading media outlets, including Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Hong Kong Economic Journal, and FTChinese (the Chinese edition of the Financial Times).

I obtained Ph.D. in Media and Communication (2013) and an M.A. with Distinction in Communication and New Media (2009) from the Department of Media and Communication at City University of Hong Kong. I was a Visiting Scholar at the Department of Communication at University of California, Davis in 2022.

(updated: Aug 2025)