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Yuehai Xiao

Lu Laura Wang

Yanna Xiang

Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have been astonishing, as stunning new large language models and applications emerge. Two strong competitors to OpenAI’s ChatGPT were launched over the past month: DeepSeek’s R1 chatbot, and the Grok-3 chatbot put out by Elon Musk’s start-up xAI.
Such rapid developments have led people to ponder whether AI will completely transform the ways we educate and learn, work and think – in short, how we live.
This is a divisive topic. On the one hand, some believe AI’s impact will be limited. Most people do not know how to use AI tools and this limits the widespread application of AI. In education, for example, many students and teachers are still some ways from mastering the effective use of AI for learning and teaching.
Moreover, they argue, AI cannot completely take the place of social interactions. In education, the teacher-student interaction is crucial for learning and growth. In the workplace, teamwork and communication are essential elements difficult for AI to fully replace.
On the other hand, there are those who believe AI will bring about a complete transformation, that it’s just a matter of time. While the popularisation of AI may lead to the disappearance of some jobs, especially low-skilled and repetitive ones, this does not mean AI will completely replace the work of humans. Rather, it will prompt changes in job market demands, necessitating career transitions and skill upgrades.


We take the position that, while AI will not completely replace the work of humans, it will drastically transform lifestyles.
In education, AI support will make possible a truly personalised education. In the future, there may be a large number of customised educational institutions started and operated by a single individual. These companies, or even schools or colleges, could provide teaching services customised to individual needs. This would break through the limitations of traditional education models, making learning more flexible and efficient.
And it won’t just be for students. AI will change the way we all learn, making learning more autonomous and more likely to be lifelong. People will be able to acquire knowledge and skills through AI platforms any time and anywhere to keep on improving themselves.
And just as AI support can enable a proliferation of personalised educational institutions operated by a single individual, we can expect the emergence of single-person enterprises providing other products and services. Think one-person music and film production companies, one-person hospital departments and one-person government departments – similar to “self-media” on Chinese social media, which are content-producing accounts that are independently operated and not officially registered with the authorities.


It is also possible that within a decade, the academic degree system will be transformed. As more – and very likely most – people use AI to start their own businesses in the future, there will be fewer wanting to pursue an academic degree in the hope of finding a job. The ability to use AI alongside soft skills – such as emotional intelligence, creativity and judgment – will become much more important than displaying academic aptitude through obtaining a degree.
As robots take over production and services, society may enjoy an abundance of material goods. And as the robot population grows, they are likely to be used also to provide emotional value. For example, advanced imaging data could allow the creation of lifelike robots resembling deceased family members to keep us company.


Our lifestyles will be overhauled as AI makes life more convenient and intelligent, allowing people to better manage daily life, access information and enjoy entertainment.
At the same time, AI will enable the offering of more customised services to meet diverse needs. For example, AI can provide personalised shopping recommendations, travel plans and health advice based on individual preferences and needs.
The way we think will also be influenced. AI will make information and knowledge more accessible. At the same time, it will promote the development of innovation and creativity, stimulating people’s intellectual potential. People will place greater emphasis on integrating knowledge across different fields and innovative thinking to adapt to the rapidly changing social and economic environment.
Of course, the development of AI also brings challenges and problems. For example, the popularisation of AI may lead to greater inequality in the distribution of social wealth. The government will need to establish optimal tax, social security and wealth distribution plans to address inequality challenges.
Despite these challenges, change is inevitable. AI development promises to bring tremendous change and opportunities. We need to wake up to the possibilities and prepare for the coming AI era.


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While AI will not completely replace the work of humans, it will completely transform the way we live, learn, work and think


While AI will not completely replace the work of humans, it will completely transform the way we live, learn, work and think.


DeepSeek

ChatGPT and other generative AIs

China technology

Elon Musk

Education

Social media

Regulation

Jobs

Technology

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Time to start preparing for the AI-in-everything era

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}While AI will not completely replace the work of humans, it will completely transform the way we live, learn, work and think

While AI will not completely replace the work of humans, it will completely transform the way we live, learn, work and think