On October 21, Fudan University Senior Professor of Liberal Arts Ge Jianxiong, who is also the University Librarian of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, spoke at NYU Shanghai on “Science, the Humanities and Our Lives: Facing the Age of AI.” Ge’s lecture, organized by the Library, was followed by a conversation with Chancellor Tong Shijun.
Provost Bei Wu welcomed Professor Ge, challenging the audience to look beyond AI efficiency. She emphasized the importance of critical thinking, arguing that as AI makes answers more easily accessible, asking better questions becomes more crucial.
In his lecture, Professor Ge noted that empirical science and the humanities—two threads of knowledge that have been crucial to the progression of humankind through history—rely on different standards. Ultimately though, he argued, the future will be guided by humanities. “It is not any specific science or technology, nor is it AI, that will guide the future of humanity, but our values, our beliefs, and the humanities,” he said.
In the conversation following his lecture, Chancellor Tong argued that AI must remain a tool, citing sociologist and philosopher Erich Fromm's distinction between “having knowledge” and “knowing.” “AI plays a vast role in having knowledge, but humans remain irreplaceable in knowing—the process of active understanding and personal effort,” Tong argued. Professor Ge emphasized that humanistic values must guide AI governance. “Just as society sets ethical bounds on gene editing, AI development requires a balanced evaluation rather than letting technology dictate its own course,” he said.
Professor Ge and Chancellor Tong fielded questions from the audience on a wide range of topics related to AI. Tong argued that artificial intelligence is like a recorded song demo--no matter how high quality the recording, people still value attending live performances because “the presence, context, and trust behind human expression are irreplaceable.”
Professor Ge emphasized the continued importance of human agency. “No matter how powerful AI gets in data prediction, we can still choose to believe in ourselves,” he said. “Pursuing spiritual value and challenging oneself are the very meaning of life.”
