Liu Shouying: We are currently at a critical stage of transforming digital technology innovation breakthroughs into productivity
2024-08-17
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On August 15, the 2024 New Quality Productivity Conference hosted by The Paper's "New Engine" Weekly was held in Shanghai. The theme of the conference was "New Reforms, New Momentum: Crossing the Cycle."
Liu Shouying, dean of the School of Economics at Renmin University of China, delivered a keynote speech at the conference, saying that we are now on the eve of a digital civilization. "The digital technology revolution is a series of technological revolutions centered on information and numbers that have occurred since humans invented the first computer. It is constantly advancing and bringing us into a digital civilization."
Liu Shouying, Dean of the School of Economics at Renmin University of China
Liu Shouying believes that the characteristics of the digital civilization era are manifested in the following aspects: first, the technology level has fully shifted to artificial intelligence to replace mental labor in knowledge creation. Knowledge creation has become the most important feature of the new form and the key to social progress; second, the core production factors have shifted from capital and technology to data factors, and the value of data factors combined with other factors has produced huge benefits; third, in terms of organizational methods, unlike the industrial civilization era where the main organizational methods were enterprises and factories, in the digital civilization era, platforms have become the main organizational form; fourth, the venue of activities has shifted from material space to virtual space. As a result, economic activities and economic forms have become virtualized and networked, and the interaction mode between social subjects has become more flexible and free; fifth, at the institutional level, the value judgment standards and social institutional arrangements have changed. Among them, the reshaping of the value judgment standards as the core of civilization progress lies in the development of real people. At the same time, in the digital civilization era, the distribution of rights and production relations between the government, society, enterprises, and individuals have changed, which in turn directly affects the institutional arrangements of the entire economic society; sixth, human decision-making is changing, and AI participates in or even replaces human thinking and decision-making.
When talking about the main characteristics of the current social form, Liu Shouying further pointed out that, at the technical level, we are at a critical stage of transforming digital technology innovation breakthroughs into productivity. Digital technologies such as AI themselves have the foundation to promote industrial revolution, but the disruptive innovation and large-scale application of digital technology are still insufficient. In terms of core production factors, data factors have played an enabling role in some industries and fields, but the value of data factors has not yet been fully utilized. In terms of organizational methods, platforms have gradually become the most important organizational form, but the value of platforms as an important organizational form has not been fully utilized. The digital and real integration in the field of industrial Internet has progressed slowly, and the role of platform economy has not been fully utilized. In addition, there is insufficient understanding of the nature of platforms and policies are wavering. In terms of activity venues, the activity venues of various economic entities are gradually shifting to virtual space. At the same time, the realization and governance of virtual space face challenges. At the institutional level, we are currently in the pain period of reform towards digital civilization. The relationship between the market and the government has changed, the regulatory and governance systems have changed, and social equity and ethical issues have become increasingly prominent. In terms of human decision-making, AI is gradually influencing and participating in human decision-making, and the decision-making mechanism, impact and governance ideas of AI need to be further studied.
Liu Shouying pointed out that on the eve of the digital civilization era, the core of the new quality productivity is how to realize a revolution in productivity under the form of digital civilization, including revolutionary breakthroughs in technology, creative configuration of production factors, and data participation in the configuration of production factors. Compared with the traditional configuration of production factors, it should be a creative destruction. "It is not a simple combination, but a destruction. It brings a new configuration mode. The final result is an industrial revolution. An industrial revolution in the digital civilization era is matched by the adaptation of production relations and new quality productivity."
Liu Shouying also made suggestions for Shanghai to develop new quality productivity. First, Shanghai needs to transform its development model. To truly become an innovative city, the core is to become a highland of original scientific and technological innovation with 0-1 breakthroughs. Second, the mechanism of education and talent development needs to be reformed. It is recommended to use the scientific research advantages of several universities to build university innovation parks, build world-class universities, and national laboratories to lead original scientific and technological breakthroughs. Third, Shanghai should become the birthplace of the new quality productivity revolution, including through the empowerment of traditional industries and the cultivation of future industries and emerging industries. Fourth, it is necessary to build a corresponding new type of production relations, including the realization form of ownership, financial system, property rights system, factor market, etc. Shanghai should focus on a series of reforms to build a new quality productivity revolution.
The Paper reporter Teng Han
(This article is from The Paper. For more original information, please download the "The Paper" APP)
