China’s communist government has always understood its rule to be scientifically enlightened. Even though the ideal society that China’s elites envision has radically changed, their desire for a scientifically literate populace has not abated. This is demonstrated by a range of kepu 科普 (science popularization) and kexue chuanbo 科学传播 (science dissemination) policy initiatives, such as the 2002 Law of Science Dissemination and the 2006 Action Plan of Improving Citizens’ Scientific Literacy. If anything, the Chinese government’s goal to turn China into a globally-leading science nation further highlights the urgency of these efforts: Chinese citizens are expected to eat a scientific diet, consume scientifically, and live scientific lifestyles.
Motherboard, reverse detail. Photo by Michael Dziedzic (https://unsplash.com/photos/aQYgUYwnCsM).
Against this backdrop, this project uses the sociology of knowledge approach to discourse to look at the breadth of science popularization materials produced in China, from state sponsored kepu 科普 books and magazines to private media kepu 科普 projects such as Guokr.com, and analyze their coverage of advancements in the development of artificial intelligence. By researching an emerging technology whose discursive framing is still in flux, and which poses fundamental questions about the nature of intelligence, sentience, and what it means to be human, this project aims to investigate the values and principles discernible in popular representations of AI research. Furthermore, by juxtaposing different sources of popular science materials, it aims to tease out potentially differing positions on the topic.