Inspiration from the past, vision for the future

Debate on impact of AI brings youths of two nations closer

In a clash of opinions that bridged borders, eight young voices from the United States and China converged in New York City to debate one of the world's most pressing issues — artificial intelligence.

This wasn't a typical debate. These contestants, fluent in each other's respective languages and steeped in the cultures of both nations, brought a unique perspective to the issue. Their goal was to inspire collaboration between people in the two countries on a technology that could reshape humanity's future.

Liam Green, a member of the "pro-AI" team, focused on the technology's potential to revolutionize education in the debate organized by China Daily with the theme "Bridging Futures: China-US Youth Debate and Exchange".

"AI can assist students as a companion, and this is advantageous for both lesser economically developed countries and more economically developed ones," Green said. He emphasized AI's unique ability to promote accessibility and equality, countering concerns about potential societal disparities.

Green, who spent eight years in China before going to university in New York, highlighted the importance of collaboration between the US and China on AI policy.

"These two countries are able to work together to pass laws that are effective," he said, stressing the need for transnational cooperation in an increasingly globalized world.

On the opposing side, Zixin Wang, a Harvard Kennedy School graduate from Chengdu, China, voiced concerns about AI's potential negative impact. "Right now, in society, we have seen so many misuses of artificial intelligence, from scams using fake faces and fake videos to trick you, to those who use artificial intelligence to make falsified documents," Wang said. While acknowledging AI's benefits, he emphasized the current lack of regulations and the potential threats posed by advanced AI systems.

Despite their opposing stances, the debaters recognized the value of this cross-cultural exchange. Wang expressed his enthusiasm for engaging with young people from both countries. "I believe conversations can alleviate all the barriers of understanding and also enhance the understanding of each other," he said.

Amelia Yuan, a California native studying at New York University-Shanghai, echoed that sentiment. She viewed the debate as an opportunity to gain diverse perspectives on international relations and finance, adding she had benefited from working with her team members. "It's super exciting," she said, referring to the past week that she spent preparing for the debate.

The debate's significance resonated beyond the participants themselves. After observing the event, John W. Allen, a founding member of the New York-based Chinese Cultural Foundation, told China Daily, "It's a good debate because I can see both sides".

"Above the pros and cons," Allen said, "what is more important about the debate is to make sure that as artificial intelligence plays more of a role in our lives and as we make this transition, we influence artificial intelligence with the human values we have today."

Allen saw the debate as a microcosm of a larger trend: increased collaboration between young people from the US and China. "If I go to China and learn Chinese, and you come to the US and learn English, and then we multiply that relationship," he said.