Note: The article was written by Emilie Wang and translated by Zinan.
Get ready for the annual insights from TechNode Content Team! The year 2023 can be considered a groundbreaking year in the technology field. As wrapping up this year, we gathered different insights from our content team. We’ll present nine Q&As, with timely updates every Wednesday and Friday in the following weeks!
Today, our Q&A comes from Emilie Wang, Social Media Director at TechNode. Emilie Mainly focuses on New media, digital marketing, AI, entrepreneurship.
1. Which company has impressed you the most in 2023?
OpenAI. I believe the most significant development in 2023 is the rise of AIGC. From models like GPT-4, offering higher accuracy and multimodal understanding capabilities, to its impact on various aspects of our copywriting and planning as new media operators, it has proven to be highly beneficial, significantly enhancing our work efficiency.
2. Which company has surprised you the most in 2023?
In March 2023, the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was an unexpected event. The term “bank run” was previously only heard in economics classes, but this year, it happened in the technology startup community. SVB, not a minor player, had a history of nearly 40 years and managed assets exceeding $200 billion. Unlike traditional large banks, SVB primarily serves high-tech startups in the United States. The collapse of SVB had a significant impact on many startup companies. Additionally, due to its account-opening system allowing the use of Chinese mobile numbers, numerous Chinese technology startups were also affected.
3. Which industry professional/entrepreneur/startup founder has left the most profound impression on you in 2023?
Alvin Wang Graylin. He is the first guest on the “The Force Talk” segment, collaborates with Dr. Lu Gang and Tencent Technology (Tencent News Technology Channel), which I jointly organized for the latter half of the year. He, like many entrepreneurs, has immense passion for the industry he is involved in. Thirty years ago, he began studying VR and later delved into AI, patiently waiting for the joy that is about to erupt today. Due to his friendship with Dr. Lu Gang, throughout the entire segment, one can sense his relaxed attitude towards work and life. Simultaneously, he has also provided valuable advice for young people, and I am greatly inspired.
4. What is the most memorable overseas event for you in 2023?
Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg. This is one of the most closely followed topics for social media workers after Elon Musk acquired Twitter and renamed it “X.” As a social media operations professional, I also monitor the dynamics of X’s social media platform. After all, we all have official accounts and need to consider future operational strategies. The Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg incident is a showdown between the world’s richest person and the youngest wealthy individual, inadvertently revealing the secrets of online traffic, capturing global attention, but ultimately coming to nothing. This event has also prompted me to reflect on how, in this age of information explosion, we can filter out meaningful content rather than being misled and consumed by trivial entertainment.
5. If you were to recommend one significant industry trend for everyone to follow, what would it be?
I must strongly recommend the BEYOND Expo. It is a big technology event worthy of everyone’s attention. I have witnessed its growth from its first edition in December 2021, held in Macao under the dual pressures of the pandemic and entry policies, showcasing the industry’s resilience and innovation. In September 2022, BEYOND Expo leveraged the metaverse platform, attracting the participation of numerous overseas technology companies and demonstrating the industry’s foresight and openness. In May 2023, with the dissipation of the pandemic, on-site activities flourished, and BEYOND Expo reached new heights in scale, quality, and proportion of overseas companies, showcasing the industry’s vitality and influence. BEYOND Expo has indeed become the flagbearer of Asian technology, and in May 2024, it will continue to be held in Macao!
6. What industry buzzword have you encountered the most in 2023?
AIGC. The year 2023 can be considered the inaugural year for AIGC, as many groundbreaking AIGC models and applications emerged during this year. The applications of AIGC are incredibly diverse, and for me, they have become indispensable tools in people’s work. For instance, I use ChatGPT almost every day, from copy optimization to text translation and even framework planning, significantly enhancing the efficiency of professionals. Additionally, tools like Midjourney are employed in planning marketing campaigns, swiftly visualizing your ideas, and presenting them intuitively in proposals.
Furthermore, I also use ClipDrop and RunwayML for image and video editing. With just one click, they make images clearer and facilitate easy scaling, making them indispensable for media professionals – a real game-changer, enabling self-sufficiency.
7. Which phrase or sentence best summarizes your perspective on the field you’ve been following in 2023?
Innovation in the face of challenges. This phrase may sound cliché, but in 2023, I deeply understand its significance. My work is confronted with unprecedented challenges, and many AIGC models can easily replace my work. Only by being more creative than AI can I secure my livelihood. Many startup companies are also adhering to this principle, and are now navigating survival during economic downturns and market competition. In such an environment, innovation is the only way forward.
8. What product/company/technology/industry are you most looking forward to next year?
I might choose Huawei’s groundbreaking product. According to Huawei’s Executive Director, CEO of the Consumer Business Group (BG), and Chairman of the Intelligent Car Solutions Business Unit, Richard Yu, at the Huawei Annual Conference, Huawei will launch extremely pioneering, innovative, and disruptive products that can rewrite the history of the industry next year. Although he did not reveal specific details about the product, some netizens speculate that it could be a scrollable folding screen with 3D imaging interactive features for a smartphone, or XR wearable glasses similar to those seen in science fiction movies, or a smartphone supporting broadband satellite internet, or a HarmonyOS operating system supporting multiple devices like smartphones and PCs, or perhaps something else magical?
9. Do you believe AI has the potential to threaten humanity?
The answers from version 4.0 are more comprehensive and of higher quality compared to version 3.5. Currently, I feel that the development is still within human controllable limits, but it is also easy to imagine uncontrollable scenarios. The learning of a lot of information may lead it to “go bad,” and many science fiction movies have warned us about this.
