Mira Ying 
Rex Chen The talk explores how The Type has embraced technologies over 17 years to educate designers and the public in Chinese on typography, and previews its latest AI learning tool The Type Lens. Founded in 2007 as the first digital education and research platform on typography and visual culture for Chinese-speaking audiences, The Type has continuously adapted to technological shifts, integrating new mediums to engage with typography, design, and visual culture in innovative ways.
The talk chronicles The Type’s evolving, tech-led approach to type education in Chinese—from its origins during the blogging era to expanding into print media in the rise of independent publishing, launching an iPad journal as digital reading gained traction, embracing podcasting as it becomes popular in Chinese markets, and most recently, adopting social media-driven short-form content in the Instagram and TikTok era. As editor-in-chief, I will explore how moving preferences on technology shape our methods, detailing the research, experimentation, and iterative process behind launching educational products across different platforms.
The talk concludes with our latest AI-driven projects that introduce new possibilities for typography education in Chinese. AI enables The Type to synthesize years of research, writing, and discussions into dynamic, interactive learning experiences tailored to modern consumption patterns. I will preview The Type Lens, a chatbot-powered AI learning tool that integrates The Type’s extensive knowledge into a single interactive platform, where students, designers, and the public can seek guidance on typography principles, layout techniques, punctuation usage, type design fundamentals, and visual histories. Through these innovations, The Type continues to redefine how typography is taught, ensuring accessibility, relevance, and impact in an ever-evolving digital landscape.