Scholars urge rethinking tech's role in human and planetary futures

There is an urgent need to reframe humanity's relationship with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, according to scholars attending the 6th Media Materiality Forum hosted by Tsinghua University's School of Journalism and Communication in Beijing on Saturday.

Professor Liu Hailong from Renmin University of China and Professor Jens Schröter from the University of Bonn, both the event's keynote speakers, told CGTN Digital that technological progress must align with ethical frameworks, cultural diversity and planetary sustainability.

Both scholars criticized viewing technology as mere tools or revolutions, arguing instead for a holistic view of its societal and ecological impacts.

Liu compared Western instrumentalist approaches – where technology is seen as a neutral tool – with East Asian philosophies emphasizing harmony between humans, tools and nature.

"The illusion of infinite computational growth ignores Earth's finite resources," he warned, pointing to AI's massive energy consumption and e-waste.

Schröter echoed this, adding that quantum computing, while promising faster problem-solving, risks eroding data privacy through its ability to crack current encryption systems.

"What I criticize in my talk is the rhetoric of revolution," he said. "I guess we should think more in terms of evolutionary transformation."

On AI, both experts rejected binary narratives. Liu stressed that AI's "creativity" is inherently human-dependent. "Machines process data, but humans define the questions and purposes," he told CGTN. Schröter cited generative AI's disruption of education and creative industries, noting that while generative AI aids productivity, it threatens jobs in law, music and content creation.

While their cultural perspectives differed, both scholars agreed on the need for inclusive, cross-disciplinary collaboration. Liu proposed integrating non-human actors – animals, ecosystems, even energy flows – into media studies to better grasp technology's ripple effects. Schröter urged public participation in shaping AI's trajectory, calling for broad societal discussion about "what technologies we need, what technologies we want and in what form."