AI development should embrace future while holding bottom-line: young people

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the world at an unprecedented pace, from production and office work to daily essentials. For young people, AI is not merely a tool but also a companion, though it carries hidden risks.

On the eve of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), voices from the streets reveal a generation grappling with where the red lines of AI development lie.

Many young people see AI as an invaluable partner in daily life. They praise its efficiency in handling repetitive tasks and its ability to deliver quick, reliable results.

"I think it's a best colleague, especially for some low-efficiency, repetitive things. It can help you achieve relatively high returns in a very short time. I think the current AI is already quite high-level, and it can be rated as a fairly outstanding colleague," said Xu Yuanchun, a Shanghai resident.

"I think it's a best workmate, because in my daily life now, the AI user experience is quite good. Sometimes, for example, when I travel, I'd ask it to make an itinerary. Also for medical matters that I don't understand, I ask and it gives feedback. It's much more convenient than before," said Jin Yichun, another Shanghai resident.

When asked about the most important red line that AI development must hold, Yuan Luming, a student at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs at Fudan University, emphasized that AI is ultimately a technology, and technology must serve humanity.

"I think AI is ultimately a technology, so technology must ultimately serve people. The connections, communication, and emotions between people are things that AI cannot replace. So I think technology cannot ultimately replace human beings, and people must not fade away amid technological development. I think we must firmly uphold the bottom line of putting people first," she said.

Regarding the governance cooperation outcomes expected from this year's WAIC, Zhao Tongyang, founder and chief executive officer of Yuanmeng Intelligence, expressed hope for two key results.

"For this artificial intelligence conference, regarding new global AI governance, the outcomes I most hope for are, first, how to achieve multilateral win-win and create a better co-creation and symbiotic ecosystem. The second is that the cross-border inclusive benefits of AI can be better realized under a cross-platform open-source governance structure, so that a new mechanism will be established to encourage innovation while developing new standards along the way," she said.

2026 World AI Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance will be held in Shanghai from Friday to Monday.

Themed "AI Partnership for a Brighter Future," the event will include more than 140 forums, bringing together 1,400 guests from home and abroad, while featuring six sections: Conferences and Forums, Exhibitions and Showcases, Awards and Competitions, Application Experiences, Innovation Incubation, and Talent Attraction.

The U.S. dollar fell in late trading on Tuesday.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, dropped 0.31 percent to 100.919 at 15:00. (1900 GMT).

In late New York trading, the euro climbed to 1.1423 dollars from 1.1387 dollars in the previous session, and the British pound was up to 1.3382 dollars from 1.3360 dollars in the previous session.

The U.S. dollar bought 162.20 Japanese yen, lower than 162.36 Japanese yen of the previous session. The U.S. dollar was down to 0.8092 Swiss francs from 0.8141 Swiss francs, and it dropped to 1.4067 Canadian dollars from 1.4151 Canadian dollars. The U.S. dollar declined to 9.6586 Swedish kronor from 9.7079 Swedish kronor.