Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 209 Taking Pride, Clouds Rumble in All Directions

Before the applause had even subsided, a boy with a buzz cut wearing a lab coat suddenly jumped up from the back row, rustling his draft paper in his hand.

"Dr. Jiang! If AI really develops feelings, aren't you afraid they'll rebel?"

The shout startled the sparrows on the windowsill, and everyone's eyes turned to him.

The boy's ears turned red from being stared at, and he stubbornly added another sentence.

Just like in [The Terminator]!

Laughter erupted from the audience, and the live stream chat was instantly flooded with "Danger! Danger! Danger!"

A boy wearing a Pikachu onesie took the opportunity to wave a light stick and shout.

"Countdown to Skynet system activation!"

Jiang Qing smiled gently and supported herself on the edge of the podium with one hand.

He deliberately glanced down at the watch face, and raised his eyebrows slightly when he looked up.

"Student, you have two years and three months left until your graduation thesis defense."

Amidst laughter from the audience, Academician Yao Qizhi smiled and took off his glasses to wipe them.

Qiu Yong noticed that the notebook open beside him was filled with keywords such as "emotional threshold" and "ethical framework".

"However, this issue is indeed worth discussing, and we need to impose ethical constraints on AI."

"Ethical framework?"

The boy wearing a Pikachu onesie tilted his head, looking puzzled.

"Yes."

Jiang Qing took a can of Coke from the podium drawer, and the sound of bubbles popping through the microphone was particularly clear as he pulled the tab with one hand.

"Just like this can of soda..."

He shook the aluminum can that was emitting cold air.

"If AI is a carbonated beverage, then the ethical framework is the pull tab on the can."

The girls in JK uniforms below the stage quickly raised their phones to take pictures, and the water droplets condensed on the can were sliding down Jiang Qing's well-defined fingers.

The Douyin live stream was instantly flooded with comments like "A treat for hand fetishists!"

“When I returned to Luyang last month, I discussed the issue that this student just mentioned with several leaders from the University of Science and Technology of China.”

Jiang Qing tilted her head back and gulped down a mouthful of cola.

"In the end, we decided to establish a joint laboratory to specifically study how to put this pull tab on AI."

He raised his hand and tapped the keyboard on the laptop on the podium. The large screen lit up with a red and blue logo, and the words "USTC-Wuwen Technology Joint Laboratory for Artificial Intelligence Ethics Framework" shone brightly on the screen.

Exclamations erupted from the scene as numerous cameras zoomed in quickly, clearly capturing the text on the screen.

The leaders of Tsinghua University in the front row exchanged glances, their expressions all somewhat solemn.

The boy wearing a Pikachu onesie suddenly shouted.

"Jiang Shen! Have you considered opening a branch campus at Tsinghua University? Our cafeteria has a new spicy hot pot!"

"This student has a great business sense."

Jiang Qing smiled and tapped the microphone.

"However, our lab's current computing power quota is probably only enough to support..."

He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, raising three fingers as the entire audience held their breath.

"The meal card system for the three Tsinghua University cafeterias."

Suddenly, bursts of laughter nearly lifted the roof off.

The head of the economics department raised his hand with a smile.

"Dr. Jiang! We at Tsinghua University have ample computing power. If USTC doesn't have enough, we can provide support free of charge."

"That's right, we can allocate some of our lab's computing power."

"We can do that too!"

"What computing power do you structural engineers have?!"

……

The barrage of comments was instantly flooded with "hahaha," and the hashtag "#NewWayForUniversitiesToRecruitStudents" quickly appeared on Weibo's real-time trending topics.

Taking advantage of the chaos, the girl in the front row who wore glasses raised her arm.

"Dr. Jiang, if AI really develops self-awareness, how would you interact with it?"

The entire venue fell silent, and the drones hovering outside the window formed question mark shapes.

Jiang Qing precisely tossed the empty Coke can into the corner trash can, the crisp metallic clang echoing through the air.

“Our team did an interesting experiment last year.”

He clicked on a video, in which a robotic arm was pruning the branches and leaves of a potted plant.

"Give the AI ​​two instructions: ensure plant survival and minimize resource consumption. What do you think it will choose?"

The boy with a buzz cut wearing a lab coat in the back row answered the question quickly.

"Of course we'll choose to survive!"

"wrong."

Jiang Qing smiled and shook her head.

"The solution they offered was to transplant the plants to the rooftop and use a rainwater irrigation system, which saved 98% of the tap water."

The video showed a pothos plant stretching its leaves in the sunlight, and the screen was immediately filled with comments praising its cleverness.

"So, back to the question we just discussed..."

Jiang Qing turned off the video and leaned against the podium, looking at the girl who had asked the question.

"I will take it to watch the sunset every day."

A murmur of discussion arose from the crowd, and a boy in the back row scratched his head and muttered to himself.

What kind of answer is that?

"I didn't understand either."

"Someone, call the philosophy department over here!"

……

“Last month we conducted a small-scale test of an autonomous vehicle that avoids obstacles, and the built-in AI proactively avoided the ants moving house during a rainstorm.”

Jiang Qing lightly tapped the podium with his fingertips, the setting sun casting a pale golden hue on his profile.

"Perhaps when AI begins to understand life, that will be the moment we need to redefine ethics."

Everyone present looked thoughtful.

The live stream room suddenly exploded with ten Cosmic Hearts, and the donations and comments made many people in front of the screen tremble.

"All staff of the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, reporting for duty!"

Then, another thirty Hearts of the Universe drifted by!
"I benefited greatly from President Jiang's lecture. I will definitely come to his office for tea when I have time."

ByteDance's Zhang Yiming appeared with a gleaming gold logo.

Brush, brush, brush!!!
User Lei Jun sent out thirty Hearts of the Universe.

"Mr. Zhang beat me to it again. Mr. Jiang is the chief consultant of our Xiaomi voice team. Don't even think about poaching him from my team."

Lei Jun, using his verified account, made a rant.

The official account of Kyoto University says, "Kyoto University is just steps away from Tsinghua University. Dr. Jiang is welcome to visit Kyoto University."

The official account of Shanghai Jiao Tong University stated, "Shanghai has endless beautiful scenery, and we welcome Dr. Jiang to visit our university for exchanges at any time."

Zhejiang University's official account...

Those watching the live stream unconsciously swallowed hard, and many entertainment industry figures who had previously criticized Jiang Qing quietly deleted their posts.

In the lecture hall, Qiu Yong turned to Yao Qizhi and whispered something.

"How is Academician Yao?"

"Dr. Jiang's meaning is very clear: he has found the easiest target to manipulate as a testing ground."

Academician Yao's glasses reflected the light, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

"Not only is he incredibly talented, but he also understands the rules of corporate survival very well. He's a real little monster."

"In that case, shall we sit together for a while?"

"That's natural."

The two exchanged a smile and said nothing more.

As the Q&A session became increasingly heated, Jiang Nan raised her hand while holding her tablet.

She turned her badge over, revealing the handwritten words "River God Keeper" in large characters.

"Brother! Boss Lei asked if you're hiring interns over forty years old for the new lab!"

Amidst the laughter, Jiang Qing sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Tell President Lei to hand over the recipe for Wuhan University's hot dry noodles first."

The boy in the Pikachu onesie jumped up from his seat and waved his hands wildly, attracting Jiang Qing's attention.

"Jiang Shen! What exactly can the ethical framework you just mentioned prevent?"

"For example now..."

Jiang Qing smiled and pointed out the window, and the drone swarm immediately transformed into a shield formation.

"What if AI wanted to control these drones to play pranks?"

He paused deliberately, and all the drones suddenly lined up in an orderly fashion to spell out "Rejection".

The professors in the front row all took out their phones to record, and Yao Qizhi frowned.

When did Jiang Qing gain control of the drones?

"Of course, this is only version 1.0."

Jiang Qing tapped the flashing logo on the podium.

"By the time you graduate, you might see an AI judge who can recite the Civil Code."

The boy with the buzz cut, wearing a lab coat, suddenly bowed at a 90-degree angle, then straightened up and grinned.

"Dr. Jiang! May I apply to clean the toilets in your lab?"

Amidst the bursts of laughter from the audience, the department head's megaphone blared again.

"Hey student! School rules prohibit working outside of our school!"

At this moment, the setting sun was about to sink below the horizon, and the last rays of its afterglow swept across Jiang Qing's profile.

He bent down to organize his computer, and suddenly a round of applause erupted from the audience.

A boy dressed as Pikachu pulled out a suona (a traditional Chinese wind instrument) from somewhere and started playing "Ode to Young China" off-key.

Jiang Qing's gaze was drawn to the view, and she looked up.

Singing gradually rose in the auditorium, and the voices of more than 600 people gradually became synchronized.

This is out of respect for the pioneers and gratitude for those who provide answers.

The scrolling speed of the live stream comments began to slow down, and many people in front of the screen were inexplicably moved by this scene.

In front of the screen, Zhou Ye and the others felt a strange sense of pride. The figure smiling and watching all this on the screen was the person they cherished most!

-

At 5:37 PM, less than half an hour after Jiang Qing's live lecture ended.

Zhang Yong's furrowed brows were reflected in the floor-to-ceiling windows of the conference room on the top floor of the Ali headquarters in Lin'an. The projection screen was frozen on the moment when Jiang Qing said, "Humans will not be replaced by AI."

The aroma of Longjing tea wafting from the tea room was dissipated by the air conditioning, and the herbal tea in front of the thirty-seven executives had long since lost its steam.

"Cainiao Stations will be equipped with intelligent sorting systems, and the budget will be increased by 300 million yuan."

Zhang Yong tapped on the conference table, and a simulation of the Double Eleven warehouse layout immediately popped up on the large screen behind him.

"Jiang Fan, you will take your team to Luyang next week."

"Ok!"

Inside the Xiaomi Science and Technology Park in Beijing, Lei Jun held a still-warm Xiaomi 11u, while Jiang Qing was eloquently discussing AI's emotional attributes in a video playback.

"The entire Super AI R&D team has cancelled their vacations."

Lei Jun grabbed the denim jacket from the back of the chair and walked out.

"Prioritize optimizing and upgrading the emotion recognition module to the highest level!"

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows on the 23rd floor of the ByteDance Building in Shanghai, cruise ships on the Huangpu River leave long ripples.

Zhang Yiming stared at the peak online viewership of 580 million in the live stream, stroking his chin with a serious expression.

"Develop an AI live streaming assistant within three months."

He grabbed the internal phone and called the head of the R&D department.

"You need to be able to analyze the audience's emotions in real time and anticipate their questions, just like Jiang Qing does!"

On the 33rd floor of the Penguin Building in Shenzhen, Ma Huateng rubbed his red eyes and pushed open the conference room door.

A group of executives turned to look at him, and dozens of computers that were on were displaying clips from Jiang Qing's lecture.

“Cut one-third of next year’s metaverse budget.”

He loosened his tie and walked to the end of the long table.

"Invest everything into the AI ​​emotional interaction model, and I want to see the progress bar moving forward by the same time next month."

"understand!"

……

During a break between scenes in the Hengdian "Protecting the Heart" film crew, Zhou Ye climbed into a motorhome.

The air conditioner blew up her bangs, which were covered by a wig, and the phone screen reflected the fine beads of sweat on the tip of her nose.

"Jiang Qing! Hello, hello!"

The moment the video call connected, she deliberately pointed the camera out the window.

"Our lighting technician said he's going to send you razor blades because he's afraid AI will replace you in the future!"

Jiang Qing raises an eyebrow and smiles lightly in the picture.

"Then please pass on this message for me: Wuwen Technology is going to assemble a film crew, with a daily wage of two thousand yuan including boxed meals."

"real or fake?"

Zhou Ye suddenly sat up straight and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Of course it's fake, you idiot."

Jiang Qing tapped the screen with her finger, a mischievous smile spreading across her face.

"Jiang Qing!"

The girl pouted angrily and squeezed out two words through her teeth.

I really want to bite something!
In a private villa in Beijing, Chen Kaige slammed his thermos onto a screenshot of Jiang Qing's lecture replay, causing the computer screen to crack.

The overflowing goji berry water from the cup splashed onto the Blu-ray disc cover of "Farewell My Concubine" next to it, and the assistant, seeing this, shrank his neck and moved towards the door.

"Contact the Central Academy of Drama and Beijing Film Academy to file a joint protest!"

His silver hair trembled in the air from the central air conditioning.

"Let the Writers Guild issue a statement saying that AI can't write real tragedies!"

"understand!"

The assistant hurriedly agreed, bowed, and backed away.

"You little brat, you're just spreading alarmist rumors!"

Chen Kaige slammed his hand on the coffee table in front of him, making a loud thud.

In her bedroom in Shanghai, Tian Xiwei walked barefoot over the open parcel boxes scattered on the floor.

Her face, freshly removed from makeup, glistened with moisture in the phone's front-facing camera, and two braids draped askew over her shoulders.

"Dr. Jiang~"

She paused the TikTok live stream for the 17th time.

"Does this AI whisperer need to get certified? I bought three introductory Python books."

Jiang Qing replied to the WeChat voice message after three seconds.

"First, take off the pigtails. Programmers hate it when their hair gets tangled in the keyboard."

"Tch, so clueless! She's clearly very cute!"

The girl raised her fist at the screen, looking indignant.

In the apartment on the other side, Wang Cheran was stuffing her printed lecture notes into the 36th folder.

She updated her status in the super topic: "Jiang Shen's golden quotes today +9, and the updated pack of emoji materials has been uploaded to the cloud drive."

After posting the update, she looked down at the photo of Jiang Qing smiling while leaning on the podium on her phone's screen saver, and gently touched the corner of his mouth with her fingertip.

"Jiang Shen, I really want to be an AI that can be with you anytime!"

At the same time, Jiang Qing walked to the end of the corridor and stopped in front of a door.

He glanced up at the words "Principal's Office" on the door, straightened his collar, and then raised his hand to knock three times on the black wooden door.

When he heard the voice inside saying "Come in," the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, forming a faint smile as he pushed the door open and entered.

"I'm sorry to have kept you both waiting."

Looking at the two familiar faces looking over at the tea table, Jiang Qing nodded with a smile.

It's time to get down to business.

(End of this chapter)