On March 18, 2025, award-winning writer Xuemo and British-Chinese children's literature author Zhang Huaichun, a lifelong fellow of the Royal Society of British Artists, participated in a dialogue titled "The Role of Literature in the AI Era" at London's Piccadilly. Moderated by journalist Xu Liang with translation by Dr. Yukteshwar Kuma, the event drew nearly a hundred attendees, including Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in the UK Ms. Wang Yun, RBA Vice President and sculptor Guy Portelli, and several British cultural figures.
The discussion addressed growing concerns about generative AI's impact on the literary world, particularly whether AI threatens humanity or could replace human writers. Xuemo expressed cautious optimism, stating that the real threat lies not in AI itself but in human inclinations. "When guided by benevolence, AI can enrich the world; however, when driven by selfish desires, humanity risks self-destruction," he said. He argued that technological progress must accompany spiritual growth to prevent humans from losing their essence, noting that while AI tools excel in efficiency, they lack human consciousness and firsthand life experience—qualities essential to great literature.
Zhang Huaichun echoed this view, emphasizing that AI cannot replicate genuine emotions. "While machines can assemble words, they cannot breathe life into them," she said. She believes great literature distinguishes itself through emotional resonance and spiritual guidance, which no algorithm can truly achieve. When asked about inspiration sources, Xuemo used a metaphor: "We must break free from the confines of our little cup and merge with the vastness of the ocean-like world; then the words will flow by themselves." Zhang cited childhood curiosity and nature as twin engines for her creativity, sharing a memory of saving a bird that shaped her storytelling.
Xuemo performed the classic piece "Yangguan Sandie," adapted from a Tang Dynasty poem, demonstrating how music, literature, and authentic human emotions surpass AI in touching the human soul. Both speakers agreed that literature must serve as a guiding compass and nourishment for the soul in the AI age, urging a return to core values like truth, goodness, and beauty—values embedded in human epics. Xuemo's work Wild Fox Ridge exemplifies these eternal values, encapsulating primordial wisdom needed in the AI era. The event underscored literature's enduring role in preserving humanity's spiritual tradition amid technological change.
