It is a chilly morning in Beijing. Participants attending the Seminar on New Quality Production Forces for National Media in the Indian Ocean Region arrive at the Beijing Dahongmen International Convention and Exhibition Centre, one after another.
Their expressions tell a story of their own. The biting cold that has characterised the Chinese capital since their arrival is clearly taking its toll as the winter season sets in.
Hailing from Kenya, South Africa, Indonesia and Mauritius, the participants engage in animated conversations, exchanging experiences and observations in spirited attempts to keep warm.
The conversations became even livelier when Prof. Li Fangni, a lecturer at the Communication University of China (CUC), takes to the podium.
“Which profession do you think cannot be taken over by Artificial Intelligence (AI)?” asks Prof. Li, a former television presenter with a particular interest in sports, as she opens her daylong lecture.
The question sparked several responses. Doctors, teachers, chefs and caregivers working in nursing homes are among the professions participants identify as being relatively immune to the disruptions posed by AI. They offer various justifications for their choices, largely centred on the importance of human interaction, empathy and judgement.
Prof. Li, however, cautioned that although the human element in some professions may be difficult to replace, the impact of AI on these sectors cannot be…
