2024 Zhanlu World Book Day Conference: The singularity is closer, how do we move forward with the world?

On April 20, 2024, at 13:30, on the occasion of the 29th World Book Day, we invited 10 experts from different fields to hold a conference with the theme "Closer to the Singularity."

The conference released four major thematic booklists and invited 10 distinguished guests to deliver exciting keynote speeches. The guests included veteran publishers, winners of the "New Generation" Wenjin Book Award, experts in technology business trends, renowned investors, biochemists, mythologists...

Together, they explored how, as the singularity draws closer, to move forward with the world.

We have compiled 20 wonderful quotes to review this brilliant ideological confrontation, let us together embrace and welcome the "singularity."

1. "The singularity is closer than ever, how do we move forward with the world?"

What is "Closer to Singularity"? Ms. Han Yan, the founder and chairman of Zhanlu, gave a wonderful opening speech. She deconstructed and interpreted the definition of singularity from multiple perspectives, focusing on technological singularity, economic singularity, commercial singularity, and creative singularity. This has "summoned" various thoughts on singularity from humanity so far, inspiring all the readers and audiences present and online to look forward to the approaching future world of singularity.

Duan Yongzhao, founding partner of Reed Cat Smart, and executive chairman of the Information Society 50-Person Forum, delivered his keynote speech "After the Singularity—Rise or Fall?" He reminded us that if we want to reevaluate the meaning or value of life, the first question to ask is whether the technology of the intelligent age is neutral. In his view, this is the biggest challenge as singularity approaches. He also warned us to be vigilant about the future human survival situation and to examine our worship of "computing power."

Wang Wenbo, a lifelong professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, discussed the intersection of marketing, data mining, and AI in his presentation "From Consumer Behavior to AI Behaviorism." He proposed key concepts such as "micro-moment thinking" and "AI behaviorism," demonstrating unique insights into consumer groups such as "post-2000s," "women," and "silver-haired."

Senior chip expert Wang Bo recently won the 19th Wenjin Book Award for his book "A Brief History of Chips." With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, humanity is getting closer to the singularity, and it is the chips that provide huge computing power for artificial intelligence. The keyword selected by Professor Wang Bo for the "singularity moment" is "AI chip." The arrival of the singularity depends on the speed of chip scale expansion, in other words, it depends on the pace of Moore's Law. If in the future, chips cannot continue to make breakthroughs due to technological limitations, the singularity will become difficult to reach.

Under the theme "Brain-Machine Revolution: Who is the True Creator of All Things," Miguel Nicolelis, an authoritative expert in the field of artificial intelligence and a pioneer in brain-machine interface technology, delivered a video speech. Professor Nicolelis's research achievements have not only been rated as one of the "Top Ten Most Innovative Technological Breakthroughs," but have also played an important role in improving human health and quality of life. The approaching technological singularity can greatly improve human health and well-being.

2. Everyone will embrace their own "singularity."

People borrow the physical concept of "singularity" to describe the moments when human civilization accelerates change. Can our daily lives also blend with "singularity" outside the science fiction world? The guests connect "singularity" and "cross-border" through keywords.

As an expert dealing with "dinosaur fossils," Xing Lida, associate professor of China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and a young paleontologist, chooses "feathers" and "flight" as two keywords to represent the significant shift in human understanding of dinosaurs, which also symbolize the "singularity" of scientific understanding.

Shu Taifeng, a partner of Chongyang Investment, guest researcher of Chongyang Institute of Finance at Renmin University of China, and special researcher of China-Europe Lujiazui Financial 50 Forum, made a wonderful sharing: "The arrival of singularity is instantaneous, but behind it is the efforts and silent persistence of generations of scientific and technological workers, so singularity is a breakthrough and bloom after long-term loneliness accumulation."

Shu Taifeng is also the author of "Wealth is the Realization of Cognition" and "Wealth Warriors Speak," and he clarifies the logic of investment for us: Wealth is not just a number game, it is the embodiment of cognition. "The technological revolution is the core driving force for the explosive growth of human productivity. As long as the pace of technological progress continues, we have reason to believe in the long-term economic growth prospects. Zhan Lu's new book on the technology sequence greatly enhances confidence in this area."

Duan Yongchao reiterated the importance of the keyword "technological neutrality." Today's technology is intelligent technology, which means it can be programmed, codified, written into values, written into ethical algorithms, and then become algorithmic ethics. Technology is losing its neutrality.

"The Singularity is Closer" conveys a very strong message to us: Whose future is it really? Is it the future of a few people, or the gospel of the vast majority of people, and how is it decided? Humanity is not fully prepared for this question. Faced with the "big model," people see the lively and extraordinary rankings, ignoring the impetuosity and noise inherent in the industry, and ignoring its indifference to the humanistic spirit.

Huang Yue, a mythologist and professor at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, responded to this question. Huang Yue used "virtual" and "incarnation" to describe her feelings about the approaching singularity—the development of digital technology has blurred the boundaries between reality and virtuality, and each of us has the potential for unlimited avatars. In this world of virtual and reality, human creativity and imagination are unleashed. The study of humanities on human nature and society is becoming increasingly important as the foundation for building future imagination.

Turning from grand propositions to personal narratives, we need a healthy body to embrace our "singularity." French biochemist Jessie Anzospé shared a wonderful video titled "Sugar Control Revolution, Let Cognition Change Health"—using scientific methods to change lifestyle habits, you will embrace a "refreshed" self.

Is singularity coming soon? Wang Bo used a quote from "A Brief History of Chips" as an answer—"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."

CHEERS·2024 World Book Day Conference Key Quotes

01 Han Yan

Founder and Chairman of Zhan Lu

02 Duan Yongchao

Co-founder of Weicaozhiku

Executive Chairman of the 50-Person Forum for the Information Society

03 Wang Wenbo

Professor, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

04 Wang Bo

Senior chip research expert, winner of the Wenjin Book Award

Author of "A Brief History of Chips" and "The Question of Time"

Xing Lida

Associate Professor, China University of Geosciences (Beijing)

Young paleontologist and science popularizer

06 Shu Tai Feng

Partner at Chongyang Investment

Author of "Wealth is the Realization of Cognition" and "The Wise Warrior of Wealth"

07 Huang Yue

Ph.D. in Mythology

Professor at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications