HANGZHOU, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Known for its archaeological ruins that act as a testimony to the existence of Chinese civilization at least 5,000 years ago, Liangzhu, in eastern China's city of Hangzhou, is now becoming an unexpected hub for AI innovation, powered by a growing community of digital nomads and independent developers.

While the just-concluded Liangzhu Forum buzzed with discourse on ancient splendor, a different kind of energy is fueling young innovators nearby for their scheduled meetup.

Master Qi (pseudonym), a former product manager from Beijing, is the host of "AI living room -- Liangzhu demo day," which is a monthly gathering that has grown from a small living-room experiment into an event drawing nearly 300 participants.

It all started in the summer of 2024 when Qi, who had just moved to Liangzhu as a digital nomad for less than a year, came up with an idea. Feeling isolated while working from home, he decided to invite neighbors to join him in his living room to co-work.

"I just placed a few tables and chairs and posted an invitation online," Qi recalled. "That afternoon, more than a dozen people showed up."

As interest in AI surged, so did the gatherings. The first official demo day was held in a backyard in November 2024. So many people came that attendees brought their own chairs. That later inspired the event's logo: a bird standing on a chair.

Today, the demo day has become a key platform for AI creators to share projects, exchange ideas, and find collaborators. More than 60 entrepreneurs have presented so far, with topics ranging from AI-generated 3D modeling and digital business cards to emotionally intelligent chatbots.

What unites them is a focus on human-centric, accessible AI products.

Zhang Mingliang, for example, created "Timetell.AI" -- a platform that helps families stay connected with elderly relatives through AI-facilitated calls and memory cards.

The idea came from his personal experience. Zhang, from Chengdu in southwestern China's Sichuan Province, shares a close bond with his grandmother. So when she began showing signs of memory loss, it struck a deep chord within him.

He's not alone. Many who live far from home carry the same quiet guilt. That is, wanting to be there for their aging parents or grandparents, yet held apart by distance and routine.

He therefore envisioned an AI tool -- one that could understand his grandmother's local dialect and converse with her naturally. It would analyze their conversations, identify the most heartfelt moments and pieces of life advice, and automatically turn them into beautiful "memory cards." Over the years, these digital cards would accumulate, creating a growing treasury of family stories that could be printed into a physical album or saved permanently online.

That's how "Timetell.AI" was born -- a platform that lets users instantly share moments of their lives with older relatives, with just one click.

"You might wonder why we don't just make a call or text?" Zhang says. "But think about it: when was the last time you actually did?"

His goal is not to replace human connection, but to rebuild it. To turn technology into a bridge across generations.

"Over 95 percent of elderly users accept this form of communication," he said. "It bridges the emotional gap when we can't be there in person."

Tao Fangbo, a returnee from Silicon Valley, brought his personal AI platform "Me.bot" to Liangzhu. He sees the area as a living lab for open innovation. "We want to see what young people can build alone or in small teams in the AI era," he said.

Amid this growth, a different kind of tech community is taking shape in Liangzhu. About 2,000 young people in the digital industries, such as developers, designers and creators, have settled here, drawn by its balance of natural calm and urban convenience.

Yuhang District, where Liangzhu is located, is riding the wave of the booming digital economy. Official data shows that the added value of core digital economy industries in the district exceeded 229 billion yuan (about 32 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, accounting for nearly 70 percent of its GDP, ranking first in Zhejiang Province.

According to Pan Helin, a member of an expert committee under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, such grassroots tech ecosystems are vital. "Through exchange, entrepreneurs can break through technical bottlenecks and explore new AI application scenarios," he said.

While the vibe is relaxed, the vision is serious. As Xi Yuan (pseudonym), a regular participant of the demo day event, put it: "We hope Liangzhu becomes something like a 'Silicon Valley', but with its own unique identity."

In a place where ancient communities once cultivated rice and civilization, a new generation is now planting seeds of a different kind-using algorithms and creativity to grow a future where technology serves humanity.