Balancing independent human thinking and rational artificial intelligence application is pivotal to fostering Chinese cultural development, with the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area well-positioned to lead the charge, experts and industry leaders said.

They shared their insights on Friday at the Forum on Enhancing the Cultural Strength of the Greater Bay Area in the Age of Digital Intelligence in Shenzhen, which is one of the subforums of the Forum on Building up China's Cultural Strength 2026.

AI is far more than a cutting-edge technology; it has evolved into a new cultural form shaping the digital intelligent era, Xu Yangsheng, president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, said. "Rather than being merely a technological tool, AI blends new ways of thinking, behavioral norms and value judgments."

He emphasized that young generations stand at the core of the AI-driven cultural revolution, acting as both main participants and trailblazers of the era of change.

"Youths have led every cultural and technological shift and the AI age is no exception," he said. "Free from rigid old mindsets, young minds adapt faster to AI."

Xu urged the younger generation to master AI tools, retain independent thinking, stick to moral bottom lines, and embrace the digital era with reason, responsibility and cultural roots.

Xu's view was echoed by Zhou Guoping, a research fellow at the Institute of Philosophy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, who also stressed the importance of independent thinking and a moral code, which he believes are human values that machines cannot replace.

"AI can never take the place of human values," he said.

Noting that AI is a tool running on data and algorithms, Zhou said it has no consciousness, emotions or moral sense. "It can only simulate human feelings and follow existing rules, rather than thinking independently or pursuing spiritual truth."

Instead of relying blindly on AI, people should use it as a helper while holding fast to humanistic warmth and moral judgment that machines can never replicate, he said.

Shen Yi, a professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University, highlighted the role the Greater Bay Area could play in bridging diverse civilizations in the digital age.

"Civilizations and cultural systems face a different development landscape in the digital age. Chinese culture, supported by the country's economic strength and AI industry, enjoys comparative advantages, while disadvantaged civilizations and vulnerable groups need more empowerment," he noted.

"The Greater Bay Area has the capability to make its contribution in this sense."

Shen suggested that the region build itself into an international hub for digital cultural exchanges to facilitate peaceful coexistence and positive interaction of diverse civilizations.

The cultural industry in the Greater Bay Area has been gaining steam in recent years. Guangdong province's cultural industry generated 3.03 trillion yuan ($446b) in revenue in 2024, growing 9.9 percent year-on-year, according to a report published at the 2025 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Cultural Industry Investment Conference in Guangzhou in November. The scale accounted for one-sixth of the country's total and ranked first nationwide for the 22nd consecutive year.

Shu Xin, president of the Hong Kong Philosophy Research Institute, noted that as a hub bridging Chinese and Western civilizations under the "one country, two systems" framework, Hong Kong acts as a key gateway for Chinese culture to go global.

It can leverage its international edge and digital technologies to revitalize intangible heritage, facilitate cross-border cultural exchanges and strengthen youth identity, he said.

The forum also included two dialogue sessions, focusing on "Practice and Exploration of New Mass Literature and Art in the Greater Bay Area" and "Inheritance and Promotion of Chinese Culture in the Greater Bay Area".

sally@chinadailyhk.com