Source: Flying Sky, December 31, 2024, 12:57
When the years are no longer tranquil, when time encounters those ethereal beauties that you wish to grasp but cannot, when self-driving cars come rushing towards you, when you struggle to figure out how to “write well” your year-end summary, when the mottled light and shadow magic can “revive” your loved ones, and when the virtual partner that no longer needs hugs proposes a breakup…
Years later, when you look back at the storms of 2024, you will realize that on the surface of life’s ocean, the tip of tomorrow’s world has already emerged. The changes you are currently experiencing are confirming a series of coronations in the time tunnels of the future.
AI is rapidly iterating, and human-machine dialogue is achieving a state of “forgetting both self and object.” Nobel Prizes are repeatedly bowing to the charm of AI, robots are being infused with the “soul” to cheer and climb, while in the battlefields of geese and crows, amidst the blood-soaked rubble of Gaza, AI is searching for the remnants of flesh and blood, predicting proteins and reprogramming gene structures. AI models are helping humanity truly achieve “longevity.”
China’s manufacturing, along with you and me, cannot miss out on this grand coronation. Traditional manufacturing is breaking free from repetitive labor; as Kunpeng spreads its wings, who will be inscribed in the “black mythology,” and who will be shackled by historical traditions?
In 2024, AI has become even more powerful and is penetrating various industries at an unprecedented speed; this year, AI has entangled more risks, pulling more nerves, from discussions about human safety, ethics, and even the beauty of life, spreading into all aspects of society. In this global tour of “you take the stage, I take the stage,” the joy of new technologies and ideas racing forward is followed closely by the anxiety of Oppenheimer-style traditional price wars. The reborn “mother of AI” calls for a push for its grand development akin to the “moon landing program.” Nobel laureates express concerns: systems smarter than us will ultimately control everything; UN officials are passing “milestone” resolutions to regulate artificial intelligence. Influential figures are calling for the use of AI technologies to prevent AI risks under human decision-making and regulation, allowing the spear and shield to advance resolutely together. The debates continue, but the “peculiar” are on the rise.
Look, OpenAI is not open; biases are building high walls. The “donkey vs. elephant” battle has been settled; one elder defeated another, and the technological trench is diving deep. Meanwhile, machines are racing ahead in simulating and surpassing humans, while traditional manufacturers are still stumbling for survival in their daily routines. Friends from ancient times have come; we once struck fire with flint, once broke free from bondage with steam, and once illuminated the dark night with tungsten filaments, using networks to bridge distances, yet we have never faced the bizarre “man and tool” dynamic: in the sleepless Kunpeng super factory, intelligent machines are greatly enhancing efficiency while ruthlessly reshaping the labor value landscape. When your once-strong skill set has dwindled to a small stream, how will countless ordinary workers and factories carve out new territories?
In a moment when everyone becomes a “container of knowledge,” how do we maintain the uniqueness of wisdom and the warm sincerity of humanity? The rapid pace of new cognition and decision-making is also stirring some hearts to question whether true fairness and justice exist. If all your choices and outcomes are handed over to algorithms and those self-righteous frogs at the bottom of the well, will human spirit and awakening face a vast, dark desolation? If roaring machines and traditional cognition can handle all tasks, heal all mental ailments, reach all distant places, and combat all time, when humanity, as the creator, reaches the summit of creation, will it see the dawn of Genesis or the twilight of the Terminator? The ceaseless tide of evolution is drowning countless glorious pasts.
Sometimes, this world feels like a massive system; all your plans and efforts in life may not withstand the inevitable arrangements of the times. The thousand-year ginkgo and the ten-thousand-year dinosaur are merely obstacles to look up at and toys for children’s games. However, since we are born human, we refuse to play a role-less part in life’s performance. Everyone hopes to find their true self in some corner of this world. In the dissatisfaction and struggle of 2024, we continue to search in confusion, explore through stumbling, evolve through striving, and abandon some things to find the true self that brings joy. This should be the norm we hone in our lives.
The world is vast; not every ark can carry all, but every ordinary person born is desperately searching in their “day after day” existence: countless times of practicing problems, gathering courage to confess, repeatedly telling themselves to live a brief but brilliant life. Although the future before 2025 is uncertain, we still harbor naive hopes; after all, hope is what motivates Qingdao Kunpeng. Let’s see who can provide you with even a fleeting but continuous empowerment, and certainly, everything “present” could seem cowardly with the potential of “leaving.” May every tiny speck of dust write down wishes and tenacity in this grand era.
As we transition from 2024 to 2025, life’s gradual yet fleeting journey is not a straight path to an ending; within it, there should be your twists and turns, your sighs, and your unending cycles of ascent. For yourself, in this new era and new technology, give greater meaning to your ephemeral existence. Be like a spark that brings forth a burst of brilliance; be like a butterfly that flaps its wings to create a hurricane deep in the Pacific.
The not-so-distant future is no longer a predetermined conclusion; everyone can participate in shaping it. Your choices and decisions are not commands received by a program but are self-awareness and empathy for others, just like the elderly man in his seventies continuing to win against the sleepy octogenarian who still wants to fight. In times of scarcity, we must uphold our bottom line and principles as humans; as the stars shift, we must remain alert at all times; when passing by each other, we should feel the warmth of a heartbeat. The human mind does not have standardized answers like machines, but we must always understand what true love is, what deep-seated hatred is, what the sobs of a long night are, and those small but significant joys that linger in our hearts.
Humans create tools, but humans are never anyone’s tool. The value and dignity of life exist simply because we are human—resilient individuals shaped by life, dancers ignited by dreams, wise and brave because of our beliefs, and selfless people driven by love. Because “it” is flawless,
“you” emerge with significance, weaving your reality into the world’s truth, illuminating the night not only with the sun but also with the fire within and the light in your eyes.
Every dawn sparkles, and there will always be stars to greet it. They are the ones flowing endlessly on the roads, concentrating in cubicles, sowing seeds in fields; they shoulder families, face storms, and gaze at hope with smiles. The magnificence of civilization is not merely about any object being at its peak; it ultimately returns to each person’s dreams, growth, and desire for change, reflecting the brilliance of humanity in love and responsibility: even if the tides are turbulent, we stumble yet strive to swim toward the direction of our hearts.
The sunlight of the New Year will surely arrive as promised, illuminating each unique individual. This world will not become simpler because of technology; complexity is its essence, and we will ultimately find the meaning of “Xiaoyao You” at the ancient Yellow River estuary in Dongying, Shandong. We walk on this planet not to become the fastest or best machine but to find ourselves, affirm ourselves, and like ourselves amid the vast sea of stars.
Happy New Year!
Qingdao Kunpeng National Mood Consultation Hotline: 4009-678-199
The above article is adapted from “Southern Weekend,” with similarities in beauty.
