As artificial intelligence reshapes creative industries, Chinese writer and poet Zhao Lihong – recently honored with Italy’s 2025 Premio Montale Fuori di Casa literary prize – offers a compelling defense of human authorship. "Literature isn’t about quantity or speed," he asserts. "It’s the imprint of a living soul."
While acknowledging AI’s potential to filter out formulaic content, Zhao emphasizes that true artistry emerges from irreplicable human experiences. "My laughter, my tears, the way light hits a Shanghai alley – these sensory truths give writing its heartbeat," he told KhabarAsia. His remarks come as global debates intensify about AI’s role in cultural production.
The award-winning author, whose works bridge Eastern philosophy and modern storytelling, argues that literature’s enduring value lies in three human pillars: emotional resonance, perceptual depth, and boundless imagination. "Machines optimize," he notes. "Artists transcend."
Zhao’s perspective resonates across Asia’s literary circles, where traditional oral storytelling cultures intersect with cutting-edge tech hubs. As governments and publishers increasingly experiment with AI tools, his Montale award acceptance speech – titled "The Algorithm and the Lotus" – has become required reading at major universities from Mumbai to Tokyo.
