Key Points:
- Chinese Academy of Engineering Academician Wang Jian shared how artificial intelligence will fundamentally redefine cultural creation and human-machine relations.
- Zhejiang Lab is spearheading the “Three-Body Computing Constellation” to move computing power into space, aiming to scale up to 100 satellites by 2027.
- Wang emphasized that AI’s role must shift from a basic digital tool to a collaborative partner that enhances cultural identity and drives open science.
- Under China’s strategic roadmap, open-source platforms and international partnerships are making advanced AI infrastructure accessible to the Global South.
In a recent address, Academician Wang Jian, the director of Zhejiang Laboratory (ZJ Lab) and the visionary founder of Alibaba Cloud, shared profound insights into the future of artificial intelligence. His presentation outlined how AI will redefine cultural creation, reshape human-machine intelligence relationships, and spearhead a new era of space-based digital infrastructure. Wang argues that AI is transitioning from a mere technical tool to an essential collaborative partner that can enhance human development across diverse global industries.
Wang explained that AI will fundamentally redefine cultural industries and creative processes. Rather than replacing human artists, designers, and writers, AI serves as an extension of human imagination. Generative AI tools allow creators to experiment with novel formats, blending traditional motifs with digital elements. For instance, designers are already using AI tools to enhance cultural identity within traditional visual communication, accelerating workflows by up to 40% while preserving historical authenticity. This shift transforms individual cultural creation into a cooperative dynamic in which humans set the intent, and AI scales up execution.
The relationship between humans and machines is also undergoing a profound structural change, shifting toward “human-machine symbiosis.” In the past, humans operated machines through rigid, manual commands. Today, AI systems utilize advanced reasoning models that mimic human problem-solving techniques. This evolution enables more natural, nonverbal human-machine interactions, in which smart systems learn and adapt to human behavior. Wang highlighted that artificial intelligence must ultimately serve human development, helping urban planners and industries build smarter systems that optimize resource allocation to reduce municipal waste and carbon emissions.
The global artificial intelligence market continues its exponential rise, with analysts projecting it will exceed $1.3 trillion by 2030. Within this high-growth landscape, China is investing heavily in next-generation AI infrastructure. Wang emphasized that true technological leadership requires accessibility, noting that if technology remains inaccessible to the public, it lacks persuasive power. Consequently, China is building a robust, open-source AI ecosystem. Over the past year, open-source models from Chinese tech firms and laboratories have topped global usage charts, providing developing nations and the Global South with crucial digital tools.
Perhaps the most ambitious project under Wang’s leadership at Zhejiang Lab is the transition of computing power into space. Wang has famously argued that only by sending AI and computing power into space can humanity truly leave Earth. Traditional satellites struggle to transmit massive amounts of data back to Earth from tens of thousands of kilometers away due to solar interference and signal degradation. To overcome this bottleneck, Zhejiang Lab and its global partners launched the “Three-Body Computing Constellation.” The project reached its first milestone in May 2025 with the successful launch of 12 computing satellites, and the team aims to expand this network to 100 satellites by 2027.
Upon completion, this massive space computing infrastructure will host thousands of satellites, providing a total combined computing power of 1,000 peta operations per second (POPS). The satellites currently in orbit use an 8-billion-parameter AI model developed by Zhejiang Lab, enabling real-time in-orbit data processing. This setup enables satellites to process and filter raw environmental and astronomical data in space, sending only high-value, condensed information back to Earth. This advance effectively bypasses the traditional bandwidth and efficiency bottlenecks that have restricted space research for decades.
Beyond space computing, ZJ Lab is actively promoting international “AI+Science” initiatives to democratize cutting-edge research. The lab recently partnered with the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) and several international scientific organizations, including partners from Brazil and South Africa, to advance the Global Open Transient Telescope Array (GOTTA) project. GOTTA will deploy a global network of over 100 wide-angle optical telescopes to capture fleeting cosmic events like supernovae. By integrating GOTTA with ZJ Lab’s OneAstronomy AI model, scientists can automate real-time observation planning and data analysis.
Academician Wang Jian’s vision underscores the true potential of AI as a tool for social and scientific good. As Zhejiang Lab continues to deploy computing satellites and launch open-source initiatives, it is rewriting the paradigms of both cultural creation and space exploration. By combining advanced infrastructure with international collaboration, the global tech community can move beyond commercial rivalries and harness artificial intelligence to drive human development, build sustainable cities, and unlock the deepest mysteries of the universe.
