ThinkTankWeekly

AI Is a Choice

Foreign Affairs | 2026-10-20 | economy

Topics: AI, China, Cybersecurity, Trade, United States

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English Summary

AI is identified as a powerful general-purpose technology with the potential to revolutionize productivity and scientific discovery. However, the article argues that technological diffusion alone is insufficient; deep adoption is hindered by shallow penetration and widespread public distrust, echoing the failures of previous global economic transitions. The central policy challenge is therefore not technological development, but achieving social and institutional cooperation. To realize AI's full potential, governments and organizations must move beyond mere promises by creating concrete mechanisms that give affected workers and communities a demonstrable stake in the gains, thereby making cooperation the clear choice.

中文摘要

人工智慧(AI)被視為一種強大的通用目的技術,具備徹底改變生產力與科學發現的潛力。然而,本文指出,單純的技術擴散不足以達成目標;深層的採用受到淺層滲透和普遍公眾不信任的阻礙,這呼應了過往全球經濟轉型失敗的經驗。因此,核心的政策挑戰並非技術發展本身,而是達成社會和制度層面的協作。為充分發揮AI的潛能,政府和組織必須超越空泛的承諾,透過建立具體的機制,讓受影響的勞工和社群在成果中擁有可見的利益份額,從而使協作成為最自然、最明確的選擇。

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