Nobel laureates weigh in: Will AI replace writers, or do humans still matter?
As China marked World Book and Copyright Day this week, two of the country's most celebrated authors - Nobel laureate Mo Yan and writer Yu Hua - tackled a question that keeps many writers awake: Can artificial intelligence do what they do?
Their answer: not really. But the conversation revealed something more nuanced than a simple reassurance.
Reading shaped both writers differently
Mo Yan grew up in a rural area with scarce books. He would borrow a single volume and finish it in a day, yet the stories stayed vivid in his memory. That early reading habit awakened his desire to write - first for practical reasons, then to "express inner emotions and portray real life."
Yu Hua's childhood reading was fragmented. Missing pages forced him to imagine how stories began and ended. "My imagination was cultivated at that time," he said. For him, writing wasn't a sudden calling but accumulated over time through small moments.
Both authors stressed that reading during youth shapes how people think for life. Young readers absorb stories when their imagination is sharpest.
AI can write. That's not the same as moving people.
Yu Hua noted that writers ranked 20th on a list of professions most likely to be replaced by AI. He dismissed the threat. "Writing is not just a technical skill," he said.
He offered an example: he once watched video summaries that condensed films into minutes. After watching seven or eight in one night, he realized something was missing. Once he knew the plot, watching the full film felt hollow.
Novels work the same way. What moves readers isn't the story itself - it's the "saturation" created by details, emotions, and dialogue woven throughout.
Mo Yan agreed. AI may handle structured forms like classical poetry, but it lacks genuine thought. "Without ideas, the writing is hollow," he said. "AI can serve as a tool, but truly great works still require human thought."
The real concern: Misleading content without labels
Both authors expressed worry about AI misuse. Mo Yan called for clear, permanent markers on AI-generated content so readers can identify it. The concern isn't that machines can write - it's that readers won't know what they're reading.
Reading habits are changing. That's okay.
Many young people prefer light fiction after exhausting workdays. Mo Yan and Yu Hua both said that's fine. There's no hard line between entertainment and serious literature.
Yu Hua argued that enjoyment and depth aren't opposites. "A compelling story can also be profound," he said. Reading should vary like diet - constantly refreshed to maintain interest and growth.
When young people have time and energy, changing things up and reading something different is worthwhile. But unwinding with light fiction after work is understandable.
Uncertainty is lifelong
The conversation also touched on young graduates entering what some call their "Odyssey period" - the years between roughly 20 and 35 when people move from school to society and dependence to independence.
Both authors said they experienced confusion and anxiety at every stage. Mo Yan, now in his 70s, still faces challenges in writing. "No stage of life is free from uncertainty," he said.
What matters, Yu Hua said, is learning from life and gaining experience so you can face confusion, anxiety, and setbacks better.
For writers navigating AI's rise: Understanding AI for Writers and how Generative AI and LLM work can help you identify where human creativity remains irreplaceable.
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