AI and eternal life the subject of heated debate at city tournament

Top high school debaters from across the country have gathered in Shanghai to discuss about the ethical implications of AI's expanding role in our lives at the inaugural Inter-Branch Crossing Cup Debate Invitational Tournament.

The finals, held at the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, revolved around the provocative question: "Should AI with independent consciousness have a set lifespan?"

Students from the High School Affiliated to Fudan University, the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, Beijing Haidian Kaiwen Academy, and the Tsinghua University High School engaged in heated debate on the topic.

Tsinghua University High School emerged as the winner, with Chen Enya receiving the title of Best Debater.

"Before the debate, we studied ChatGPT, AIGC, and other specialized AI topics," Chen said. "The judges brought up theories from past philosophers about 'being-towards-death,' which were very enlightening."

The event also featured an exhibition game with distinguished guests including Ding Hong, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Zhang Zheng, senior principal scientist at Amazon Web Services. They were joined by students from the award-winning Chinese Debate Club of the Shanghai High School International Division to discuss about "eternal life."

Student Liu Ruien said: "The topic is fascinating because it reflects a complex human emotion. We seek eternal life, yet we want to impose lifespans on conscious robots. This contradiction reflects human arrogance but also offers ample room for reflection."

The debates highlighted ethical and philosophical questions beyond technological advancements.

"There are many aspects to consider, such as whether AI robots should have personalized traits, how we understand the essence of life, and the future integration of humans and AI," said Jiang Changjian, show host and judge.

He added: "One aspect perhaps not fully explored by students is the idea of life reboot or reincarnation. If we can manage AI risks, these robots might experience life cycles similar to those of humans."

The tournament was organized by the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and the Shanghai Science Popularization Education Development Foundation.