Q: Please briefly clarify the purpose of choosing this topic.

A: I chose this topic mainly because of two reasons: it is relevant, and it is close to our everyday life. We all have a feeling that Artificial Intelligence might be the most significant technological advancement in the past few decades, if not centuries, and it’s nothing new that AI is revolutionising the condition of our society and human existence. For the first time in history, we have created something comparable to or even superior to us. Almost all aspects of society need to adapt to the new situation and get ready for the change. Humans need to govern AI, to regulate its developers, owners and users, and this task cannot be done by a single country. It is a matter that requires a lot of international cooperation, and the complexity arising from the fact that AI is deeply entangled with fierce competition on the world stage means that cooperation demands dialogue, understanding and bargaining. That’s the relevance of our topic. Simultaneously, although it is perhaps one of the biggest focus points at the present time, AI is not far from ordinary people like you and me. It is leading to a profound change that humans have never seen before, but the change is not starting from a distant place; instead, it begins around us. We can all feel it, benefit from it, or be harmed by it, because we are part of it. The impacts of AI are what everyone should be aware of, and how to respond is what everyone should think about.

Q: As the Dais Head, what’s your suggestion to the delegates?

A: I’m sure that you’re all familiar with those clichés, like doing your academic preparations well or being active during debates. Beyond these common things, here’s a special piece of advice that might be helpful: Just as mentioned above, try to feel and genuinely think about our topic, not simply study it. We are not discussing a war which happened 100 years ago or a crisis which occurred on the other side of the world — yes, they are also important and noteworthy, but they are not directly linked to us. On the contrary, adapting to the AI-driven brave new world is our own problem, so you can have much more space to use your own life experience and your own judgment, as well as a much stronger reason not to be afraid and always be confident to take the floor. Having your voice, ideas and resolutions heard is better than remaining silent. You have a say on AI issues, and hopefully, what you learn and what you find out can leave a lasting impact on how you perceive AI and how you understand humanity.