In the era of digital endowment, digital and artificial intelligence technologies have evolved into essential infrastructure for worldwide communication and cultural exchanges, according to Zhou Qing'an, dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Tsinghua University.
Speaking at the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting in Beijing on Friday, Zhou said that artificial intelligence is not just a tool for downloading information, but also a channel for users worldwide to upload and share their stories, enriching the global narrative with diverse voices.
"More and more users, not only from China and the United States, but also [more countries] from Global South, are involved into the using of artificial intelligence. So artificial intelligence is not just a technology that [enables people to] download from the model or from the technology, but also upload their stories coming from different sides of the global society," said Zhou.
Noting that digital tools have become the backbone of international communication, Zhou said that such infrastructure, which is users-driven, should be defined collectively by global society.
"Today, digital technology has increasingly become a fundamental infrastructure for international communication. So, who truly defines this infrastructure? There is only one answer: the global community jointly defines the cultural infrastructure built on digital foundations. As digital progress and development expand, we can see that digital technology is users-driven. It is certainly not something propelled by the demands of a single company or country. It is shaped by broad users," said Zhou.
"In this new era of digital empowerment, digital technology is no longer merely a simple tool for communication. It is shaping our future lifestyle. (switch to English) It's not only a way of communication, but also a way of lifestyle in the future. (switch back to Chinese) In this process, one very important aspect, I think, is its ability to allow ordinary people to extensively and deeply integrate their own lives with the richness and diversity of global cultures," said Zhou.
Digital technology becomes global infrastructure for communication: expert
