Preserving the human spirit is vital in the age of artificial intelligence

https://www.chinadailyasia.com/article/634020

Publish Date: 2026-05-27 12:11:00

Source Domain: www.chinadailyasia.com

Impact of AI on Human Values: Xu Yangsheng emphasizes that artificial intelligence (AI) goes beyond being a mere technological tool; it influences new ways of thinking, behavioral norms, and value judgments, potentially reshaping human lifestyles and values.
Risks of Unregulated AI Use: Xu highlights significant risks if AI is used improperly, potentially leading to cheating, unfair advantages, and moral erosion, as even fair-minded individuals might justify crossing ethical boundaries in a competitive landscape.
Importance of Governance and Human Spirit: Proper governance is paramount to ensure AI is used ethically; otherwise, it risks descending into chaos where honest people are harmed, and the world becomes more dangerous.
Call to Young People: Xu urges the younger generation to master AI tools while maintaining independent thinking, moral standards, and cultural sensitivity to navigate the digital era responsibly.
Cultural Resilience and Self-Cultivation: Chinese civilization is characterized by a liberal spirit of self-cultivation and personal development, which helps uphold humanistic values and critical thinking.
Enforcement Challenges: Lawsuits involving AI misuse, such as Baidu’s defamatory AI hallucinated news in China and Anthropic’s conflict with the US Department of War, indicate the difficulty in enforcing proper governance over AI technologies.
Cultural and Philosophical Guidance: Traditional Chinese and other global philosophies stress that upholding humanistic, moral, and virtuous values is crucial in combating unethical AI use.
Conclusion on Upholding Human Spirit: Ultimately, enforcing effective AI governance requires all to uphold the human spirit and recognize the importance of ethics, fairness, and self-cultivation amidst AI’s advancements.