At the 2025 London Book Fair, Xue Mo, a prolific author with nearly 100 works translated into over 30 languages, presented a compelling argument on the role of human inner strength amidst the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. Speaking at the Tech Theatre, Mo emphasized that 'mastering one's inner world' is more crucial than keeping up with technological trends, a message that resonated deeply with publishing professionals in attendance.
Mo's seminar, which drew from his novella Wolf Disaster at Pig's Belly Well and philosophical work The Mind and the Heart, explored the unique dilemmas humanity faces in a tech-driven era. He posed a critical question: 'what can AI never replace?' His answer, the sovereignty of the human heart, highlighted the irreplaceable value of human emotion and perception in shaping our world.
The discussion also touched on the innovative approaches to making Eastern philosophy accessible to a global audience. Professor Chang Xiangqun, Editor-in-Chief of Global Century Press, praised the bilingual layout of The Mind and the Heart for its role in standardizing and disseminating intricate ideas of Eastern philosophy, noting its inclusion in research projects at prestigious institutions like Cambridge.
While acknowledging AI's efficiency, industry leaders like Mengdi Turbutt Cai, Publishing Director of Paths International Ltd., and Mohammed Urma, the company's Marketing Director, cautioned against overlooking the cultural depth and emotional resonance unique to human storytelling. Urma's warning about the potential for 'digital colonialism' underscored the challenges of navigating digital rights and market monopolization in the publishing industry.
In his concluding remarks, Mo likened the AI era to 'the dissolution of centralized discourse power,' advocating for a richer inner world to embrace the diversity unlocked by technology. His works, celebrated for their universal themes and translations by leading sinologists, stand as a testament to the enduring value of human experience in literature and beyond.
The London Book Fair 2025 served as a pivotal platform for discussing the intersection of technology and human creativity, with Xue Mo's insights offering a philosophical lens through which to view the future of publishing and human existence in the digital age.
