Dear Foreign Minister Park Jin, Dean Zhi Cheng, Director Xiao Bo,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, teachers, and students,

Good morning, everyone!

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you for gathering at the Beijing Forum to discuss the profound and urgent issue of global governance in the digital and intelligent era. As a researcher in political philosophy, one of the questions I have been pondering in recent years is the relationship between AI and humanity. Today, I would like to take this opportunity to share some of my thoughts, which are still in their early stages, and seek guidance from the esteemed experts present here.

AI is rapidly changing the world, influencing all industries and the lives of individuals, and naturally, it is also impacting various fields of global governance. It can be said that while AI brings us immense opportunities, it also presents unprecedented challenges, to the point where many feel a deep existential crisis. The rise and rapid development of humanoid intelligence—AI that continually acquires human capabilities, and in some areas, has already far surpassed human abilities—forces us to confront a fundamental question: What is a human?

Plato once provided a well-known answer to this question: A human is a rational animal. So, what does rationality mean? In Ancient Greek, rationality encompasses two aspects: one is the logical thinking ability of humans, known as logos, and the other is the intuitive understanding of the essence of things, known as nous. However, in later philosophical developments, the latter meaning gradually faded. Since modern times, rationality has been understood as the mental ability to find the most appropriate means to achieve a certain goal. The famous British political thinker Hobbes used the term rationality in this sense. At the same time, Hobbes’understanding of humanity included two other elements: first, the emphasis on humans as the subjects of various desires, and second, the emphasis on humans having an unchanging essence. This understanding became the basic framework for future discussions on human nature.

If we understand rationality in Hobbes’way and define humans in this manner, I think it is clear that AI is surpassing or replacing this kind of human, and in the near future, such humans may lose their place in the world. However, fortunately, there is an alternative understanding of what it means to be human, which can be found in ancient Chinese philosophy and the thought of Aristotle in ancient Greece. Simply put, according to this understanding, humans do not have an unchanging essence; humans are not born as humans but rather “become” human through change. In traditional Chinese terms, this is described as “learning to become a person,” because learning is an indispensable process in the transformation from an ordinary animal to a human. Confucius said, “In a village of ten families, there must be someone like Qiū who is loyal and trustworthy, not because of his natural endowment, but because of his love for learning.” Here, “loyalty and trustworthiness” are innate, while “learning” is the path one takes to become oneself. In other words, anyone can aspire to be like Yao or Shun, but it must begin with learning, gradually transforming oneself into a true person.

Chinese philosophers have extensively explored how learning leads to becoming a person, but learning alone is far from enough. The reason is that learning to become a person is not simply about acquiring knowledge about humanity, but about practicing how to be human, and this is the core issue. This is what the Ming Dynasty philosopher Wang Yangming referred to as “attaining the inherent knowledge” and “the unity of knowledge and action.” Confucius also said, “Knowing it, yet unable to maintain it; even if attained, it will surely be lost.” He also said, “A gentleman speaks sparingly but acts to fulfill his promises.” Confucius thus advocated, “A gentleman should be cautious in speech but quick in action.” Xunzi similarly believed, “It is better to hear something than to not hear it, better to see it than to hear it, better to know it than to see it, and better to act on it than to know it. Learning stops at the point of action.” Wang Yangming further explained, “True knowledge is found in action, and true action is found in knowledge.” Therefore, for ancient Chinese thinkers, learning to be human is both about understanding the wisdom of the sages and continuously improving oneself through practice, as these two aspects are part of the same process.

If we understand humanity in this way, it can be said that while AI can provide knowledge to humanity—such as biological and moral knowledge about humans—it cannot replace each individual's journey to “become a person,” to develop a unique personality, set of values, principles, and character. To “become a person,” each individual must still learn and practice step by step, transforming their understanding of humanity into their own abilities and qualities. This process is inherently personal and is not dependent on any external intelligence, including AI, no matter how powerful it may be.

Therefore, the process of becoming a true individual lies in each person’s understanding of the mysteries of nature and human affairs, enjoying the joy of knowledge; in cultivating their own interests and taste, to enjoy the pleasures of beauty; in developing moral character through interaction with others, experiencing the happiness that comes with justice, friendship, and love; and, importantly, in experiencing the moral dilemmas and tensions that come with choices, striving for the elevation of one’s own character, or what we often refer to in China as “the peace of the heart.” Without these, life would be empty and flavorless. From this perspective, we need not fear AI taking control of humanity or rebellion as depicted in science fiction, as long as we leave the opportunity to be human to ourselves. AI cannot rebel, nor can it control humanity, because we have firmly grasped our own future.

If we understand humanity in this way, the advent of the AI era, in terms of its liberation of humanity through technological rationality, provides humanity with an opportunity for profound reflection and a deeper understanding of human value and meaning, allowing every individual the chance to become a truly human being. Of course, AI will bring various challenges and problems, including the huge disruption to traditional industries, new tests for social justice, and the ethical questions surrounding AI—how and in which fields AI can be used—these all require serious consideration. But, no matter what, I firmly believe that only when humans truly reflect on what it means to be human, and when each individual experiences fundamental personal growth, can the world use the power of AI to reach new heights, rather than being destroyed by it. Achieving this requires global effort. Global governance should make providing each individual with more and better opportunities to become a truly human being a future global development goal.

I wish this forum great success, and I wish everyone good health and all the best!

Thank you!

November 8, 2025