On March 18, 2025, award-winning writer Xuemo and British-Chinese children's literature author Zhang Huichun, 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 celebrities.
As generative AI tools increasingly influence the literary world, questions about AI's threat to humanity and potential replacement of human writers framed the discussion. Xuemo expressed cautious optimism, stating that the real threat lies not in AI itself but in human inclinations. He argued that when guided by benevolence, AI can enrich the world, but when driven by selfish desires, humanity risks self-destruction. Xuemo emphasized that technological progress must accompany spiritual growth to prevent humans from losing their essence, noting that while AI excels in efficiency, it lacks human consciousness and firsthand life experiences essential to great literature.
Zhang Huichun echoed this perspective, asserting that AI cannot replicate genuine emotions. She explained that machines can assemble words but cannot breathe life into them, highlighting that great literature stands out through emotional resonance and spiritual guidance—qualities no algorithm can truly achieve. When asked about inspiration sources, Xuemo used a metaphor about breaking free from confines to merge with the world, allowing words to flow naturally. Zhang cited childhood curiosity and nature as twin engines for her creative moments, sharing a memory of saving a bird that shaped her storytelling.
Xuemo's performance of the classic piece "Yangguan Sandie," adapted from a Tang Dynasty poem, demonstrated how music, literature, and authentic human emotions surpass AI's capabilities 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 etched into human civilization's epics. Xuemo's work Wild Fox Ridge exemplifies these values, encapsulating primordial wisdom humanity must seek in the AI era.
This dialogue underscores literature's critical role in maintaining human essence amid technological advancement. As AI reshapes industries, the discussion highlights that while tools may enhance productivity, the soul of storytelling remains inherently human, relying on consciousness, emotion, and spiritual depth that algorithms cannot mimic. The event reinforces the importance of preserving literary traditions that nurture the human spirit, ensuring technology serves rather than supplants our core humanity.
