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We are here with TEDx

Published on 21 May 2025

As technology evolves from the mechanical, such as aeroplanes, computers and phones, to the human-like, such as generative AI, we continue to grapple with the same questions: What are we? How will we survive the waves of change?

On 10 May 2025, at BNBU, 11 guests gave talks at TEDxUIC in response to the theme "Substance of Survivability" and shared their insights, drawing on expertise and life experiences.

"Today's talk is a critical exploration of how we endure, adapt, and, indeed, thrive in an era profoundly shaped by rapid technological advancement,” BNBU President Prof Chen Zhi addressed the audience at the opening, and expressed hope the courage to adapt, the will to break boundaries, and the strength to innovate, all while staying true to our shared humanity, would be revealed through the event.

Prof Eugene Ch'ng, Dean of BNBU's School of Culture and Creativity and General Chair of TEDxUIC, said: "These voices show us the diverse ways we carry ourselves and each other into the future. Let's keep this conversation going and the spirit of survivability alive!"

We pass on and innovate

When Yang Wei, an Olympic champion, took the stage first and recalled winning the men's gymnastics team gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he said, "I am standing on the shoulders of giants," regarding it as a success built on the experiences and efforts of three generations of Chinese gymnasts.

After going through the darkest moment at the 2004 Athens Olympics, he and the team bounced back to reach their peak at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. While unyielding willpower was certainly key, Yang emphasised that no success can be achieved without support from his family, lover, and friends. His parents, his wife, his team, and a deep-rooted sense of national pride came together in his triumph.

But the pursuit of renewal isn't unique to people. Languages, intangible heritage, and cultural relics are also seeking ways to survive and thrive.

Prof John Corbett, Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning of BNBU's Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, introduced strategies for language survival, using Scots as an example. From translating Harry Potter and Chinese poetry into Scots, to creating theatre plays, the language is revitalised through cross-cultural methods.

"By bending the local language to communicate a very different worldview, the minority language is renewed and a small step is taken towards its maintenance and preservation," he concluded.

Prof Zhang Kang, from the Thrust of Computational Media and Arts Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), focused on how technologies can be used to preserve Chinese intangible cultural heritage.

Through four innovative projects, including using the metaverse to show dancing apsaras in the Dunhuang Mogao Cave, digitising Miao embroidery and blending Dongba script with surrealist artist Joan Miró's works, he demonstrated how cutting-edge digital tools are unlocking new interpretations of tradition.

Independent fashion designer Zhang Wei also expressed her deep affection for cultural heritage.

"As a designer, I aim to engage with our traditional culture, understand it, and share it with the public through design." Her vision is to make intangible heritage accessible, tangible, and usable, transforming it into a way of life recognised and embraced by today's youth.

Young antique collector and cultural blogger Zhong Baoying sees each artefact as a whisper from time, telling stories of culture and history. In her view, every collector is a guardian of history, and for her, passing on culture is also a personal calling.

"Finding one's life purpose and continuously creating value is the essence of survival," she shared. "Choosing something you truly love generates a powerful state of flow."

We are with AI and reshaping the future

Is AI, especially generative AI, a threat or an opportunity for humans? Three scholars managed to answer it from the perspectives of art and science.

From a childhood drawing to a TV script generated by AI, Dr Bill Aitchison of BNBU's School of Culture and Creativity, a scholar and experienced performance artist, presented his findings on creating art with new technology. Ultimately, he concluded that "the characters (written by AI) had a fatal lack of agency."

"Technology can aid this process (creating art)," he said, "but it is us, humans, who find meaning in art and it is us, too, who remain at the centre of it." Though acknowledging it as a powerful tool, he urged the audience: "Don't expect technology to be creative for you."

Dr Gai Jorayev of the Faculty of Creative Tourism and Intelligent Technologies of the Macao University of Tourism echoed a similar view from the realm of heritage preservation. AI tools are now "faster and more precise in recording the physical remains of the past". Its value lies not in replacing expertise, but in connecting scattered insights to amplify human understanding.

Yet, even as technology evolves, he realised the complexities of heritage data, which remains challenging for current AI models. "AI serves as a collaborative, scientific tool rather than an oracle," he explained.

For Dr Fan Wentao of BNBU's Faculty of Science and Technology, the role of AI in shaping the future is undeniable and urgent. From personalised healthcare and faster drug development to climate intervention simulations and co-created digital artworks, he illustrated the immense promise of generative AI.

He also reminded the audience of ethical concerns. As he closed his talk, his final question lingered in the room: "Generative AI is already shaping our future. The only question is: Will we shape it back?"

We grow and explore

From adolescence to adulthood, from self-doubt to self-definition, three speakers shared deeply personal reflections on growth in a complex world.

Jason Jeffries, a biology teacher and university adviser from the Ningbo British International School, has long worked with adolescents. He pointed out that society too often measures teens by adult standards, forcing still-developing individuals into rigid molds. In truth, the chaos of adolescence is not a failure or rebellion, it's a vital stage of becoming. "We should make the effort to understand and empathise with them a little better," he said. "After all, we were once them."

Overplanning was the problem BNBU student Lu Yang'anni had been dealing with. While preparation was praised by society, she viewed precision as the factor that stifled her courage to face the unknown, but her startup journey taught her otherwise: action and practice lead to clarity. "Risky play becomes necessary to build an antifragile immune system and develop the competence we need along the way," she said.

"The true power of multilingualism—it allows us to be more than just one thing. It allows us to be everything," BNBU student representative Qilemuge of the Accounting Programme stated firmly on stage. Living in the BNBU community and being able to speak three languages, Mongolian, Chinese, and English, she has been endowed with new knowledge of identity, leading her to an intercultural world.

From every story told on stage, one truth echoed: to survive is not to resist change, but to grow through it, boldly, and together.

BNBU Provost Prof Patrick Chau (second from left) presents souvenirs to the speakers

BNBU Party Secretary of the University Party Committee and Vice President (Administration) (first from left) presents certificates to the speakers in the morning session