An engaging discussion was held in Hongkou District on April 10 on the challenges and opportunities presented by the advent of AI.
Young theorists expressed their concerns and posed questions to notable AI experts Wu Guanjun, Dean of the School of Political and International Relations at East China Normal University, and Shao Yilei, founding dean of the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence and Finance Institute.
The salon centered on the theme "From Sora to the Metaverse: Exploring Generative AI from Multiple Perspectives."
Shao highlighted the role of generative AI (AIGC) in constructing imaginative worlds, emphasizing that "the future will be a competition of imagination."
Shao pointed out that while ChatGPT predicts the next word, Sora predicts the next frame of an image. The allure of AI creation lies in its ability to turn the impossible into the possible, constantly pushing the boundaries of human imagination.
She advised people to let go of past experiences and transform knowledge into cognition to enhance wisdom.
Wu Guanjun shared that integrating AI into our lives requires a reevaluation of the importance of the past in planning for the present and future. He emphasized that the most needed talents in the future are those with creative and disruptive ideas.
The young audiences felt enlightened by the experts' insights, realizing that AI is not merely about replacing human labor but also augmenting human cognitive capabilities.
Launched in March 2023 by the Hongkou District Committee's Publicity Department and the District Youth League Committee, the Young Theorists Development Program aims to empower more youth to take prominent roles in theoretical advocacy.
Over the past year, nearly 300 outreach activities have been organized, reaching over 450,000 people, earning them the title of "Advanced Grassroots Theoretical Propaganda Team" for 2023.
Chen Wei of Shanghai Xinhua Media Chain Ltd. said the battleground of soft power is invisible, and every one of us in the ideological and cultural sector is a fighter.
Zhu Minqi, from Jiangwan Hospital, shared his experience creating an award-winning video for the themed speech contest, emphasizing the importance of conveying themes in a simple, relatable, and memorable language to effectively reach young audiences.