#23 Society and Technology Bulletin

In the field of health care, artificial intelligence (AI) has long been seen as a source of great promise for both physicians and technology companies. It was anticipated that AI would transform medical practice, from imaging technologies to rapid diagnosis and even revolutionizing cancer treatment. However, recent published findings show that alongside these hopes, unexpected risks have also grown.

A study published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology in 2025 revealed that physicians using AI experienced a noticeable decline in clinical skills within just a few months. Clinicians who regularly relied on AI-assisted systems became less attentive, less motivated, and less responsible when making decisions independently.

The research is based on 2,177 evaluations conducted between September 2021 and March 2022. Of these, 1,443 were performed using traditional methods and 734 with AI assistance. The evaluations were carried out by 19 experienced endoscopists. The results were striking: while AI tools made physicians’ work easier in the short term, they weakened their ability to diagnose independently over time, eroding their competence—their “professional muscles.”

Researcher Marcin Romańczyk explains this phenomenon as the “Google Maps effect.” Just as constant use of navigation apps dulls our ability to read maps and find direction, persistent reliance on AI creates a similar form of mental laziness. Doctors, by surrendering to the system’s answers rather than trusting their own clinical intuition, begin to lose their capacity for independent decision-making.

These findings are not limited to medicine. A 2023 study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed that using ChatGPT weakened students’ critical thinking skills. From education to medicine, the use of AI in various fields reduces users’ cognitive load but simultaneously introduces the risk of intellectual muscle atrophy.

Artificial intelligence undoubtedly promises faster diagnosis, more accurate imaging analysis, and more accessible health care. Yet it also threatens clinicians’ ability to generate knowledge and skills.

At this critical juncture, one of the most important things to ask is what medicine truly is. Because these questions are not only vital for the medical profession but for all tasks being considered for delegation to AI. If we reduce medicine to mere mechanical procedures—such as technical analysis of images or application of standard protocols—then it becomes inevitable that AI will take over these tasks. But such a reduction strips medicine of its essence.

Medicine is not merely the sum of knowledge and technical skills; it is a holistic performance. This performance is not limited to identifying fragments of disease. It also involves understanding illness within the context of the patient’s life history, physical experiences, and psychological state.

In this sense, medicine is a holistic practice. The patient’s narrative, imaging data, laboratory results, and the physician’s intuition come together to place fragmented symptoms into a meaningful context. AI can detect correlations between fragments, but placing them within a life story, a personal and social context, requires clinical intuition and ethical responsibility.

Ultimately, the solution lies in making AI not a substitute for medicine but a supporter that enhances its uniqueness. Of course, ensuring that this support does not harm our existing capabilities is also part of our responsibility.

The opening of Robot Mall in Beijing marks a new threshold in China’s technology strategy. The contribution of industrial robots to production speed on factory lines has long been known. But this new initiative aims to accelerate the integration of robots into everyday life. Designed as a retail format directly targeting consumers, Robot Mall offers humanoid robots directly to end users.

In recent years, China has placed robotics and artificial intelligence at the center of its national development strategy. Within this framework:

• Subsidies exceeding $20 billion between 2024 and 2025 have directly stimulated the sector.
• In addition, a new fund of 1 trillion yuan (approximately $14 billion) is in preparation to support AI and robotics ventures.

Behind these investments, two primary motivations stand out:

1. To open new areas of efficiency in response to slowing economic growth.

2. To fill gaps in care, health, and service sectors caused by a rapidly aging population.

Robot Mall’s operational model is likened to an automobile dealership. The combined offering of sales, maintenance, and spare parts transforms robots from mere “purchased products” into long-term usage objects.

Products are offered across a wide price range, from 2,000 yuan (approximately $278) to several million yuan. Visitors can interact directly with robots in forms such as dogs, chess players, or humanoid models. Meals in the themed restaurant next door are prepared and served by robot chefs. Thus, robots emerge as active participants in daily life.

The opening of the mall coincided with the World Robot Conference held in Beijing. This year’s event showcased over 1,500 products from more than 200 domestic and international brands. Additionally, Beijing is preparing to host the first World Humanoid Robot Games. In this event, humanoid robots from over 20 countries will compete in categories ranging from racing tracks to soccer.

These two developments support the idea that China is constructing a culture of humanoid robots. Defining the ecosystem culture of humanoid robots—expected to become integral to many aspects of our lives in the near future—is both an economic and a cultural move toward hegemony.

The opening of Robot Mall demonstrates that technology is no longer merely a tool of efficiency but has become a carrier of cultural symbols. China, focusing on the intersection of culture and technology, appears to have ambitions not only for technical exports but also for cultural export. Thus, China’s technology strategy no longer appears limited solely to economic development or military competition. It seems to encompass the ultimate vision of building a “robotic society.”

This vision can be evaluated in three dimensions:

1. Economic: To open new production and consumption markets in response to slowing economic growth.

2. Demographic: To provide support in care, health, and daily services for an aging population.

3. Cultural: To influence social transformation by making robots ordinary actors in daily life.

The opening of Robot Mall in Beijing is a critical indicator of China’s transition of robotics from industrial production to everyday life. For China, widespread integration of robots not only in factories but also in homes, restaurants, and public events appears as both a technological and a cultural vision.

According to a recent article in The New York Times, the Chinese government is indirectly engaging in cross-border political propaganda through AI-driven information channels. Documents uncovered by American researchers show that the Chinese government uses companies with AI expertise to monitor and influence public opinion. This situation presents Beijing with a significant power advantage in the context of information richness and political maneuvering.

GoLaxy, a company highlighted in the documents, has conducted influence campaigns in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The technology developed by the company, called the “Smart Propaganda System” or GoPro, can target social media users individually to generate real-time, persuasive content. According to researchers at Vanderbilt University, this system has become a machine capable of producing propaganda content that is “realistic, adaptable, and difficult to detect.”

GoLaxy’s official statement claims that it processes only open-source data, does not collect private data on U.S. politicians, and that the New York Times’ allegations constitute “misinformation.” However, researchers found statements in the company’s internal documents indicating direct service to Chinese state institutions.

The documents of GoLaxy reference Mao Zedong’s phrase, “The east wind will prevail over the west wind.” The company’s stated goal is to strengthen China’s narrative globally and shape public opinion in favor of Beijing.

The fact that companies closely linked to the Chinese state, such as Sugon, a supercomputer firm, have invested in GoLaxy, and that the company was established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, indicates that its activities are part of the national security strategy.

Of course, such situations are not unique to China. The critical issue here is that as social media users, we are highly vulnerable to potential disinformation and manipulation campaigns. Our intensive habits of social media use and our growing interactions with AI are sufficient to raise similar concerns. As we become accustomed to specific forms of information and entertainment, our susceptibility becomes predictable and controllable.