■ 北美发布 雅岚 报道
“我从来没有想过，可以用快板的方式来报道新闻。”
10月9日晚，在北卡罗来纳州研究三角园区（RTP）的Frontier RTP，曾任中国中央电视台（CCTV）出镜记者的张萌，对一名年轻选手运用中国传统快板与AI技术结合制作新闻视频的方式感到惊讶。
让她眼前一亮的，是来自东教堂山高中（East Chapel Hill High School）的李书亚（Joshua Li）。他将新闻编写成中文快板，再借助人工智能生成视频画面，为传统新闻报道带来一种新鲜的表达形式。
这一幕，成为2026全美青少年AI新闻大赛决赛现场的生动缩影。
当天，由《北美发布》（North Alpha Post）、旅美科协北卡分会（CAST-NC）和北卡三角区人工智能协会（RTAI）共同主办的2026全美青少年AI新闻大赛（2026 National Youth AI Journalism Competition）举行决赛并揭晓获奖名单。
历时近四个月的赛事，共收到40多件参赛作品。经过初审，12件作品入围决赛，其中两件因选手时间冲突未能参加最终展示。其余10件作品通过现场或线上形式接受五位专业评委评审，最终评选出一等奖2件、二等奖5件、三等奖3件，共有11名学生获奖。
参赛作品涉及中美文化交流、校园生活、公益音乐、亚洲文化节、体育赛事、人工智能教育、音乐创作和摄影艺术等领域。
比赛不仅展示了青少年运用AI进行新闻创作的能力，也引发了一场关于真实性、创造力与独立思考的深入讨论。
2026全美青少年AI新闻大赛获奖榜单
一等奖（2件）
| 获奖选手 | 获奖作品 | 学校 | 年级 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Li | 华裔少年快板唱出“新”苏州 | East Chapel Hill High School | 10 |
| Jacqueline Liu | When a Machine Wrote Bach: Did It Really Pass the Test? | Cary Academy | 9 |
二等奖（5件）
| 获奖选手 | 获奖作品 | 学校 | 年级 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eshaan Khaira | The Friction of Thinking: The Quiet Fight Against Classroom AI | Durham Academy | 9 |
| Jake Xu | Across the Classroom, Across the World: North Carolina Students Build Bridges in China | Enloe Magnet High School | 12 |
| Kingston Hurt | Dragon Boats of the Cary Asia Fest | Durham Academy | 12 |
| Uistean Travers | 当我们拍照片的时候，我们想保留什么？ | Durham Academy | 11 |
| Jacqueline Li | Four Players One Sound: What My First Chamber Music Rehearsal Taught Me About Listening | Smith Middle School | 6 |
三等奖（3件）
| 获奖选手 | 获奖作品 | 学校 | 年级 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Qin & Jerry Li | Young Musicians at RISE: Interviewing the Next Generation of Classical Music | West Cary Middle School / Ligon Middle School | 7 |
| Sabrina Ingui | UNC Field Hockey Downfall | Durham Academy | 9 |
| Avery Foster | 德仁学院年度俱乐部博览会拉开新学年序幕！ | Durham Academy | 12 |
点击选手姓名可查看获奖证书；点击作品名称可阅读或观看参赛作品。
十件获奖作品，展现年轻人观察世界的不同视角
这场比赛的一个鲜明特点，是选手们大多从自己的真实生活、亲身经历和兴趣爱好出发，而不是简单依赖AI生成新闻题材。
来自Enloe Magnet High School的Jake Xu，选择报道北卡学生暑期赴中国开展文化交流的经历。他通过采访、收集照片与事实资料完成新闻初稿，再借助ChatGPT、Gemini等工具调整结构和语言，最终由自己决定如何取舍AI提出的建议。
来自Durham Academy的Kingston Hurt，则以凯瑞亚洲文化节龙舟比赛为题材。在使用AI润色文章时，他特别要求工具不得改变原始事实，只能改善文字表达。
同样来自Durham Academy的Eshaan Khaira，把目光投向AI对校园学习的影响。他通过采访师生，探讨学生究竟是在借助AI提高学习效率，还是可能因此逐渐失去独立思考的能力。
这一问题也成为比赛期间反复出现的主题。
该校另一名学生Avery Foster，通过一年一度的校园社团招新活动，记录新生寻找兴趣、朋友和归属感的过程。在写作中，Avery先独立完成英文初稿并翻译成中文，再利用AI检查语法、优化表达，遇到不理解的中文词语则查阅词典，并寻求老师帮助。
两名七年级学生Albert Qin和Jerry Li，将养老院公益音乐演出作为报道对象。他们通过整理采访资料、现场照片和视频，结合AI辅助完成新闻及视频作品，展现年轻音乐人通过演出服务社区的经历。
音乐也是另外两件作品的主题。
来自Cary Academy的Jacqueline Liu，围绕AI能否真正创作巴赫风格音乐展开实验。她利用自己的音乐知识，测试AI对不同调式、和声及作曲要求的理解能力，发现AI虽然能够根据具体指令修改作品，却未必能够主动发现其中的音乐问题。
来自Smith Middle School的Jacqueline Li，则通过首次室内乐排练的经历，讲述四名演奏者如何在相互倾听与配合中形成一个完整的声音。作品关注的不只是音乐技巧，更是团队合作与沟通。
摄影与体育题材同样带来了不同的观察角度。
Durham Academy的Uistean Travers以《当我们拍照片的时候，我们想保留什么？》为题，探讨摄影在保存记忆、艺术表达及社交媒体时代塑造个人形象等方面的意义，并尝试用AI生成图片表达自己的视觉构思。
热爱草地曲棍球的Sabrina Ingui，则把自己的运动经历带进新闻创作。她借助AI整理采访提纲、设计开放式问题，并制作相关视频作品。
十件作品，十种不同的观察视角。无论是国际交流、校园生活、音乐艺术还是体育赛事，选手们都在尝试将真实经历与AI技术结合，寻找属于自己的表达方式。
快板遇上AI：十几分钟完成视频，传统新闻技能还有用吗？
当晚最具现场感染力的作品之一，是Joshua Li的中文快板新闻。
作为唯一使用中文进行现场演讲的选手，他介绍，自己将新闻内容改编成快板，再借助AI生成配套画面。
为了让AI理解他的创作意图，整个过程经历了十几次修改。
他发现，过去制作一条三分钟的视频可能需要一周，而AI工具能够在十几分钟内生成大量画面，极大提高了制作效率。
但速度并不意味着质量。
AI最初生成的画面无法准确配合快板的语言和节奏，Joshua最后决定亲自演唱快板，让AI配合自己的声音进行制作。
这一经历引起评委张萌的兴趣。
她问Joshua，当AI能够快速制作视频时，传统采访、剪辑和新闻叙事技能是否还有必要？
Joshua毫不犹豫地回答：“我觉得肯定需要。”
因为AI并不能完全理解创作者希望表达的内容，更无法替代创作者判断作品好坏。
另一段有趣的交流发生在Sabrina的视频展示之后。
评委发现视频背景中有钢琴声，便询问声音来源。
“那是我弟弟在弹琴！”Sabrina解释，弟弟钢琴弹得很好，她实在不好意思让他停下来。
这个引发现场笑声的小插曲，也让评委借机讨论视频采访中的收音、环境控制和镜头叙事问题。
AI能够帮助完成提纲和视频制作，但真实采访现场的声音、画面和故事节奏，仍然需要创作者自己掌握。
五位评委现场点评：AI可以帮助写作，不能替代独立思考
本届决赛邀请五位来自新闻、教育、人工智能和科技社团领域的专业人士担任评委：
- 李革：全美中文学校协会秘书长、北卡温华中文学校校长
- 张萌：曾任中央电视台（CCTV）出镜记者
- 曹国梁：北卡三角区人工智能协会会长
- 郭跃龙：旅美科协北卡分会会长
- 李新兰：MOVENC董事长
决赛采取百分制评分，参赛作品质量占40分，AI工具使用及说明占30分，现场展示与表达占30分。
与一般作品评选不同，评委不仅关注最终作品质量，更重视学生如何完成采访、组织材料，以及在创作过程中怎样使用AI。
在点评Jake Xu的文化交流报道时，评委建议，新闻不必一开始就堆砌背景信息，而可以从一个具体、生动的文化交流场景切入，让读者迅速进入故事。
针对一些经过AI润色的文章，评委提醒学生，应尽可能先自主完成初稿，再使用AI进行辅助修改，以保留自己的观察和语言风格。
对正在学习中文的学生来说，AI可以帮助纠正语法错误，但更重要的是理解每一个词语、每一种表达，而不能只是复制生成结果。
关于新闻真实性，一位评委还与Jacqueline Liu讨论了报道人称的选择。
Jacqueline解释，自己更习惯使用第一人称，而如果要写其他人的想法，就必须先了解他们真正的意见。
“我不知道其他人在想什么，因为我并没有采访过他们。”
这句回答触及了新闻工作的一条重要原则：不能把未经采访和核实的内容当作事实。
一轮轮问答，让决赛成为一堂生动的新闻实践课。
评委们传递的一个共同观点是：AI可以提高效率，拓展表达形式，但新闻真实性、独立判断和创作者的责任，不能交给机器。
多方携手，为青少年探索AI新闻搭建平台
大赛发起人、《北美发布》创办人毛光勇在决赛开幕致辞中表示，自己从事新闻工作三十多年，经历了从报纸到互联网、再到人工智能时代的变化。
虽然新闻生产工具不断更新，但新闻工作者对真实性、准确性和公众负责的原则不应改变。
举办青少年AI新闻大赛，正是希望与年轻一代共同探索：在AI时代，新闻应该如何创作，哪些基本原则必须坚守。
他感谢所有参赛学生、家长、教师、评委和志愿者，并特别感谢iPearl、北卡三角区人工智能协会、查尔斯顿中文学校、超级创客、MOVENC、台北101等机构的支持，以及登峰学园（Apex Learn）、北卡温华中文学校、教堂山中文学校、夏洛特中文学校等协办机构的付出。
活动还特别感谢Durham Academy的中文老师Bonnie Wang和孙梅青，以及帮助学生参与赛事的学校和社区组织者。FLANC（Fostering Language Acquisition in North Carolina）会长Bonnie Wang赞赏这次大赛“真是给了孩子们一次难忘的体验”。
当天的决赛由北卡三角区人工智能协会副会长张瑞雯主持，该协会创会副会长李赫南负责现场音效及直播工作。
在各方支持下，这场历时近四个月的赛事圆满完成，也为北卡及全美青少年探索AI新闻创作提供了一次实践和交流的机会。
技术应该赋能智慧，而不是取代智慧
在闭幕致辞中，北卡三角区人工智能协会会长曹国梁祝贺所有获奖学生，并感谢评委、志愿者和合作机构的付出。
他表示，人工智能正在深刻改变学习、工作和创造的方式。新闻领域尤其能够体现AI带来的机遇与挑战：技术可以辅助研究、分析和叙事，但批判性思维、创造力、真实性和责任感仍然至关重要。
他向年轻人提出两点期待：
“不要仅仅用AI寻找答案，而要用AI提出更好的问题。”
“技术应该赋能你的智慧，而不是取代你的智慧。”
回顾整场比赛，年轻选手们已经开始熟练运用AI进行写作、翻译、作曲、绘画和视频制作。但在使用这些工具的同时，他们也遇到了新的问题：如何保证事实准确？怎样保留原创性？机器生成的作品是否真正表达了自己的想法？
有人用AI提高新闻制作效率，有人借助AI跨越语言障碍，有人挑战全新的传播形式，也有人直接质疑AI对独立思考能力的影响。
这些探索，或许比最终的获奖名次更值得关注。
对于参加比赛的青少年而言，AI已经不再是一个遥远的技术概念，而是正在进入他们学习和创作过程的现实工具。
这场比赛留下的最重要启示，不是AI能够帮助年轻人完成多少作品，而是当机器越来越擅长给出答案时，年轻人能否继续保持好奇、坚持求证，并学会提出自己的问题。
11 Young Journalists Explore AI, Journalism and Independent Thinking as Winners of the 2026 National Youth AI Journalism Competition Are Announced
By Yalan | North Alpha Post
“I never imagined that news could be presented through kuaiban, a traditional Chinese rhythmic storytelling performance.”
On the evening of October 9, at Frontier RTP in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, Meng Zhang, a former on-camera reporter for China Central Television (CCTV), expressed her surprise at a young contestant’s innovative approach to news reporting—combining traditional Chinese kuaiban with artificial intelligence to produce a news video.
The contestant who caught her attention was Joshua Li, a sophomore at East Chapel Hill High School. Li transformed a news story into a Chinese kuaiban performance and then used AI to generate accompanying video footage, bringing a fresh form of expression to traditional journalism.
The moment captured the spirit of the final round of the 2026 National Youth AI Journalism Competition.
Co-organized by North Alpha Post, the Chinese Association for Science and Technology in North Carolina (CAST-NC), and the Research Triangle AI Society (RTAI), the competition concluded on October 9 with the announcement of its winners.
The nearly four-month competition attracted more than 40 submissions. Following a preliminary review, 12 entries advanced to the finals. Two finalists were unable to participate in the final presentation because of scheduling conflicts. The remaining 10 entries were evaluated by five professional judges through in-person or virtual presentations.
Ultimately, two entries received First Prize, five received Second Prize, and three received Third Prize, with a total of 11 students honored.
The submissions covered a wide range of topics, including U.S.–China cultural exchange, campus life, community music programs, Asian cultural festivals, sports, AI in education, musical composition, and photography.
Beyond showcasing how young people can use AI to create journalism, the competition sparked meaningful discussions about truth, creativity, and independent thinking.
2026 National Youth AI Journalism Competition: Award Winners
First Prize (2 Entries)
| Student | Award-Winning Entry | School | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua Li | A Chinese American Teen Tells the Story of “New” Suzhou Through Kuaiban | East Chapel Hill High School | 10 |
| Jacqueline Liu | When a Machine Wrote Bach: Did It Really Pass the Test? | Cary Academy | 9 |
Second Prize (5 Entries)
| Student | Award-Winning Entry | School | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eshaan Khaira | The Friction of Thinking: The Quiet Fight Against Classroom AI | Durham Academy | 9 |
| Jake Xu | Across the Classroom, Across the World: North Carolina Students Build Bridges in China | Enloe Magnet High School | 12 |
| Kingston Hurt | Dragon Boats of the Cary Asia Fest | Durham Academy | 12 |
| Uistean Travers | What Are We Trying to Preserve When We Take Photographs? | Durham Academy | 11 |
| Jacqueline Li | Four Players One Sound: What My First Chamber Music Rehearsal Taught Me About Listening | Smith Middle School | 6 |
Third Prize (3 Entries)
| Student | Award-Winning Entry | School | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Qin & Jerry Li | Young Musicians at RISE: Interviewing the Next Generation of Classical Music | West Cary Middle School / Ligon Middle School | 7 |
| Sabrina Ingui | UNC Field Hockey Downfall | Durham Academy | 9 |
| Avery Foster | Durham Academy’s Annual Club Fair Kicks Off the New School Year! | Durham Academy | 12 |
Click on a student’s name to view their award certificate, or click on the title of an entry to read or watch the award-winning work.
Ten Award-Winning Entries Reflect Young People’s Diverse Perspectives on the World
One distinctive feature of this competition was that most contestants drew inspiration from their own lives, personal experiences, and interests rather than simply relying on AI to generate news topics.
Jake Xu, a student at Enloe Magnet High School, chose to report on North Carolina students’ summer cultural exchange experiences in China. He conducted interviews, collected photographs and factual information, and completed his initial draft before using tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini to refine its structure and language. Importantly, he made his own decisions about which AI-generated suggestions to accept or reject.
Kingston Hurt of Durham Academy focused on the dragon boat races at Cary Asia Fest. When using AI to polish his article, he specifically instructed the tool not to alter any original facts and to improve only the writing.
Fellow Durham Academy student Eshaan Khaira examined AI’s influence on classroom learning. Through interviews with students and teachers, he explored a central question: Are students using AI to learn more efficiently, or could their growing reliance on it gradually weaken their ability to think independently?
That question became a recurring theme throughout the competition.
Another Durham Academy student, Avery Foster, covered the school’s annual club fair, documenting how new students explored their interests, made friends, and developed a sense of belonging.
Avery first wrote an English draft independently and translated it into Chinese before using AI to check grammar and improve expression. When encountering unfamiliar Chinese words, Avery consulted dictionaries and sought guidance from teachers.
Two seventh graders, Albert Qin and Jerry Li, reported on a community music performance at a senior living facility. Drawing on interviews, photographs, and videos from the event, they used AI assistance to create a news story and accompanying video, highlighting how young musicians can serve their communities through performance.
Music was also the subject of two other entries.
Jacqueline Liu of Cary Academy conducted an experiment to explore whether AI could genuinely compose music in the style of Johann Sebastian Bach. Drawing on her musical knowledge, she tested AI’s understanding of different musical modes, harmonies, and compositional requirements.
She discovered that although AI could revise its compositions in response to specific instructions, it could not necessarily identify musical problems on its own.
Jacqueline Li of Smith Middle School used her first chamber music rehearsal as the basis for a story about how four musicians learn to listen to one another and create a unified sound. Her work went beyond musical technique to explore teamwork and communication.
Photography and sports offered additional perspectives.
Uistean Travers of Durham Academy explored the question, “What Are We Trying to Preserve When We Take Photographs?” His work examined photography’s role in preserving memories, expressing artistic ideas, and shaping personal identity in the age of social media. He also experimented with AI-generated images to convey his visual concepts.
Sabrina Ingui, an enthusiastic field hockey player, brought her athletic experience into journalism. She used AI to organize interview outlines, develop open-ended questions, and produce a related video.
Ten entries offered ten distinct ways of observing the world. Whether reporting on international exchange, campus life, music, art, or sports, the contestants explored how real experiences and AI technology could be combined to develop their own approaches to storytelling.
When Kuaiban Meets AI: Can a Video Made in Minutes Replace Traditional Journalism Skills?
One of the evening’s most engaging entries was Joshua Li’s Chinese kuaiban news performance.
As the only contestant to deliver his presentation in Chinese, Li explained how he adapted a news story into a traditional rhythmic storytelling performance and then used AI to generate accompanying visuals.
Getting the AI to understand his creative intentions required more than a dozen rounds of revisions.
He found that producing a three-minute video, which might previously have taken a week, could now be accomplished in a matter of minutes with AI-generated footage.
But speed did not necessarily translate into quality.
The AI initially struggled to synchronize its visuals with the language and rhythm of the kuaiban performance. Joshua ultimately decided to perform the piece himself and have the AI-generated video follow his own voice.
His experience caught the attention of judge Meng Zhang.
She asked Joshua whether traditional skills such as interviewing, video editing, and journalistic storytelling would still be necessary if AI could produce videos so quickly.
Joshua answered without hesitation: “I definitely think they are.”
AI, he explained, cannot fully understand what a creator wants to communicate, nor can it replace the creator’s judgment about the quality of the finished work.
Another lighthearted exchange followed Sabrina Ingui’s video presentation.
The judges noticed piano music in the background and asked where it had come from.
“That was my younger brother playing the piano!” Sabrina explained. Her brother was such a good pianist that she had felt too embarrassed to ask him to stop.
The explanation drew laughter from the audience and gave the judges an opportunity to discuss audio recording, environmental noise control, and visual storytelling during video interviews.
AI may help prepare interview questions and produce videos, but the sounds, images, and narrative rhythm of real-world reporting still require the journalist’s own attention and judgment.
Five Judges Emphasize: AI Can Assist Writing, but It Cannot Replace Independent Thinking
Five professionals from journalism, education, artificial intelligence, and science and technology organizations served as judges for the final competition:
- Ge Li: Secretary-General of the National Council of Associations of Chinese Language Schools and Principal of North Carolina’s Wenhua Chinese School
- Meng Zhang: Former on-camera reporter for China Central Television (CCTV)
- Guoliang Cao: President of the Research Triangle AI Society
- Yuelong Guo: President of the Chinese Association for Science and Technology in North Carolina (CAST-NC)
- Xinlan Li: Chair of MOVENC
The competition used a 100-point scoring system: 40 points for the quality of the submitted work, 30 points for the use and explanation of AI tools, and 30 points for the contestant’s presentation and communication skills.
Unlike many competitions that focus primarily on the finished product, the judges placed considerable emphasis on how students conducted interviews, organized information, and incorporated AI into their creative processes.
In evaluating Jake Xu’s cultural exchange story, the judges suggested that a news article does not always need to begin with extensive background information. Instead, it can open with a specific, vivid scene that immediately draws readers into the story.
When discussing articles polished with AI assistance, judges encouraged students to complete their initial drafts independently whenever possible, using AI as a supplementary editing tool rather than allowing it to erase their own observations and writing styles.
For students learning Chinese, AI can help correct grammatical errors, but it is even more important to understand the meaning of every word and expression rather than merely copying machine-generated text.
The issue of journalistic accuracy also arose during a discussion with Jacqueline Liu about the use of first-person narration.
Jacqueline explained that she felt more comfortable writing from her own perspective. If she wanted to describe what other people thought, she would first need to learn their actual opinions.
“I don’t know what other people are thinking because I haven’t interviewed them,” she said.
Her answer touched on a fundamental principle of journalism: information that has not been verified through reporting should not be presented as fact.
Through successive rounds of questions and discussion, the final competition became an engaging, hands-on journalism workshop.
The judges shared a common message: AI can improve efficiency and expand creative possibilities, but truthfulness, independent judgment, and responsibility must remain in human hands.
A Collaborative Effort Creates a Platform for Young People to Explore AI Journalism
In his opening remarks, Guangyong Mao, founder of North Alpha Post and initiator of the competition, reflected on more than 30 years of experience in journalism, from traditional newspapers to the internet and now the age of artificial intelligence.
Although the tools of journalism continue to evolve, he said, the fundamental principles of truth, accuracy, and responsibility to the public must remain unchanged.
The purpose of launching the National Youth AI Journalism Competition was to explore these questions alongside a younger generation: How should journalism be practiced in the age of AI, and what essential principles must journalists continue to uphold?
Mao thanked all participating students, parents, teachers, judges, and volunteers for their contributions.
He also expressed appreciation for the support of iPearl, the Research Triangle AI Society, Charleston Chinese School, Super Maker, MOVENC, Taipei 101, and other organizations.
Additional thanks went to supporting organizations including Apex Learn, North Carolina Wenhua Chinese School, Chapel Hill Chinese School, and Charlotte Chinese School.
The event also recognized the contributions of Durham Academy Chinese teachers Bonnie Wang and Meiqing Sun, along with school and community organizers who helped students participate in the competition.
Bonnie Wang, President of FLANC (Fostering Language Acquisition in North Carolina), praised the competition, saying, “It truly gave the children an unforgettable experience.”
The final event was hosted by Ruiwen Zhang, Vice President of the Research Triangle AI Society. Henan Li, the society’s founding vice president, managed the event’s audio production and livestream.
With support from these organizations and individuals, the nearly four-month competition concluded successfully, providing young people in North Carolina and across the United States with an opportunity to explore AI-assisted journalism through practical experience and meaningful exchange.
Technology Should Empower Intelligence, Not Replace It
In his closing remarks, Guoliang Cao, President of the Research Triangle AI Society, congratulated all award recipients and thanked the judges, volunteers, and partner organizations for their dedication.
He noted that artificial intelligence is profoundly transforming how people learn, work, and create.
Journalism, in particular, illustrates both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI. Technology can support research, analysis, and storytelling, but critical thinking, creativity, truthfulness, and responsibility remain essential.
Cao offered two messages to the young participants:
“Don’t just use AI to find answers. Use AI to ask better questions.”
“Technology should empower your intelligence, not replace it.”
Throughout the competition, young contestants demonstrated that they were already becoming proficient in using AI for writing, translation, musical composition, visual art, and video production.
At the same time, their experiences raised important questions: How can facts be verified? How can originality be preserved? And do AI-generated works truly express the creator’s own ideas?
Some students used AI to improve the efficiency of news production. Others used it to overcome language barriers or experiment with new forms of storytelling. Still others directly questioned AI’s potential impact on independent thinking.
These explorations may prove even more meaningful than the final award rankings.
For the young people who participated, artificial intelligence is no longer a distant technological concept. It has become a practical tool that is increasingly woven into their learning and creative processes.
Perhaps the competition’s most important lesson is not how much work AI can help young people produce, but whether, in a world where machines are becoming increasingly capable of providing answers, the next generation will continue to nurture curiosity, seek the truth, and learn to ask questions of their own.
