Feature: China’s AI-savvy younger generation creates a new wave of cultural memes

BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) — Enhancing physical appearance, crafting virtual companionship and even composing final wills — these are just a few snapshots of the innovative ways young Chinese individuals are engaging with AI.
The 2024 blue book on Chinese minors’ Internet use has indicated that Chinese teenagers are highly aware of artificial intelligence, with more than 45 percent having used AI products.
Admitting this surge, AI for entertainment is quickly flourishing in the vibrant tapestry of China’s cyberspace. The idea of writing one’s last will is one of the most bizarre examples.
With a brief but thought-provoking chat, an online tool powered by generative AI can present a set of wills and epitaphs in diverse linguistic styles.
One version goes like this: “In my final testament, I decree that my departure shall be commemorated with the solemn grace of a chamber music recital, with the ethereal voices of my offspring providing the hymns.”
“Through writing a will, you’re allowed a reflective journey about the essence of living and the true meaning of life,” said Zhang Wei, the initiative’s producer from Xinshixiang, an Internet content creator. “I target inviting 10,000 young individuals in China to create their AI-assisted wills.”
There has been a significant rise in the number of individuals from the post-1980s and post-1990s generations who have established wills at the China Will Bank between 2017 and 2023, with a 22-fold and 11-fold increase, respectively, according to a white paper.
Zhang’s team used the large language model (LLM) AI tech to capture this psychological shift and make it funny. “This poor Earth is not fun. I’m leaving and not coming back anymore,” a participant nicknamed “Mudu Wu” posted the epitaph AI created for her.
Sense of Community
An Peiqi, a 24-year-old AI designer, is part of a 60-member team that developed a photographic application software named Miaoya.
The AI feature of this camera app allows for personalizing user’s styles and movements. Just upload a clear frontal photo with distinct facial features and, ideally, include an additional 20 candid shots from your daily life. The tool can generate various styled images at your whim, “enabling you to capture a doppelganger from an alternate reality,” as stated in its product description.
After its official launch in July last year, the app has reached tens of millions of registered users. Its user demographic primarily consists of young women from the country’s first to third-tier cities open to embracing new technological advancements.
“Our team consists of young AI users, so we possess a sharp awareness of industry trends,” said An. “Young individuals prioritize the social aspects of products, and that’s what we do with Miaoya.”
These new products, like Miaoya, popping up during the pandemic, have attracted China’s Generation Z, or even Generation Alpha (those born in the 2010s), who aspire for a sense of community.
Though the capacity of AI companions to fully understand human emotional needs is still a matter of debate, the younger demographic has discovered a distinctive approach to connect with this innovative type of social engagement.
Virtual Idols
Chatbot in Xingye, developed by Shanghai-based AI startup MiniMax, uses AI to allow users to converse with a virtual romantic partner. However, the app’s youthful demographic has given it a distinct “community vibe,” drawing in a variety of internet culture enthusiasts, ranging from anime and comic fans to cosplayers and gamers, who employ AI virtual characters to collaboratively craft unique narratives that are intimately familiar to their own group.
A user called “Luoyouran” has chosen Angela, a heroine in Tencent’s popular e-game “Arena of Valor,” as the virtual idol. Instead of courting with her, the user embarked on an impromptu gaming quest alongside the AI agent. Angela’s community has around 5,000 users who are logged in and active in real-time.
It might appear somewhat contrived to adults, but the chat hits the perfect note for teenagers brimming with fantasy.
“Growing up interacting with AI can reduce one’s dependency and foster a stronger sense of equality.” Ye Jun, executive director of the Center for Media Communication and Youth Development under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, perceives the benefits of AI for youth in this way.
Also, the recreational pursuits favored by China’s youth are finding a chord with their counterparts in the United States. Xingye’s international version, Talkie, and another Chinese AI companion app Poly.ai, have climbed to the top ten in the US AI app download charts in the first half of this year.
Globally, Talkie AI closely trails Character AI at 17 million downloads. According to Sensor Tower, a digital intelligence analytics, its downloads have surpassed Character AI in the United States.
“You can use your imagination and be creative,” “Sonya Mernard” wrote in a review of Talkie on Google Play.
Also, MiniMax’s Hailuo AI, KLING AI, and Vidu are three China-designed tools for creating imaginative videos that have garnered significant success across domestic and global markets.
Governing AI
However, the fervor for AI creation among young users is more likely to cross ethical boundaries, as seen with the spread of deepfakes.
“The AI-native generation differs from the Internet-native one, as adults in the latter group are already familiar with the online world and can mentor the younger users,” said Ye. “However, AI is unfamiliar territory for both adults and children, complicating the challenges faced by the AI-native generation.”
During the country’s national holiday last month, many visually-synthesized audios mimicking Lei Jun, the founder of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, went viral on social media platforms, including some spoof voice-overs.
Using Reecho AI software, users can generate fake audios that resemble real human speech in just a few seconds. This underscores the critical need for robust AI governance. Now, that content is required to be removed.
China’s Internet watchdog has already beefed up its oversight over synthetically generated content. Regulations on deep synthesis Internet information services came into effect in January 2023, preceding the implementation of the U.S. executive order on AI and the EU’s AI Pact.
Reecho AI said in a statement that real-name authentication, enhanced intelligent detection and early warning systems, and traceable audio watermarks are in the pipeline.
Ye is more concerned about the moral risks AI poses to Generation Alpha than the legal risks.
“Prolonged use of AI, especially among young children and minors, may lead to a blurring of the line between the virtual and the real since their outlooks on true life have yet to be established,” said Ye.
Ye noted that extensive exposure to AI-generated content based on data training could lead to modular thinking among the younger generation, potentially stifling their creativity.
“Authorities should tailor their approach to the characteristics of minors, and use legal red lines and ethical baselines to regulate AI growth,” Ye added. ■