Summary of Key Points
This article demonstrates how six domestic AI systems (DouBao, deepseek, QianWen, KiMi, ZhiPuQingYan, and YuanBao) have been used to tackle the college entrance examination essay questions from various regions this year. They produced a range of works including argumentative essays, narratives, poems, and promotional slogans, showcasing the AI's ability to understand the questions and create creative content. The article also invites readers to act as “graders” in an entertaining manner, prompting reflection on the relationship between AI-generated writing and human creativity.
Detailed Analysis
1. **AI's Ability to Understand Questions**:
The biggest fear in college entrance examination essays is going off-topic, but AI performed surprisingly well, accurately grasping the core requirements of the questions. For example, for the new curriculum standard I paper, which asked about the evolution of the meaning of a word, DouBao chose the word “slow,” illustrating how its meaning changed from being associated with laziness to representing perseverance and wisdom—a perfect response. In the new curriculum standard II paper, which focused on maintaining essence and origins, deepseek used three examples (Su Shi’s optimism, the Renaissance’s humanistic values, and Chinese civilization’s cultural heritage) that closely aligned with the theme. This shows that AI can quickly identify key words and logical relationships through extensive training, avoiding basic mistakes like being off-topic.
2. **AI's Literary Style**:
There is a common belief that AI-generated text lacks style, but this essay collection dispels this notion. KiMi’s narrative, “Huan Ying Ju Hua,” includes vivid details such as a worn-out copy of “Song Ci Xuan” and the emotional impact of reading Li Qingzhao’s poems, making it feel like a real person’s experience. QianWen’s poem, “Because Aspiration,” uses imaginative imagery (wings chasing dawn, shadows turning into stars), while ZhiPuQingYan’s metaphor (“the two wheels of a car, the two wings of a bird”) effectively conveys the dual meanings of the word “tiao.” These examples demonstrate that AI can produce meaningful and emotionally engaging content.
3. **AI’s Depth of Thought**:
College entrance examination essays require depth and original perspectives. AI’s performances exceeded expectations in this regard. For instance, YuanBao’s essay on technology and imagination discussed both the positive aspects of technology (enriching creativity, such as Verne’s submarines becoming reality) and potential limitations (algorithms potentially confining us within information silos), concluding with the idea of using humanistic values to preserve freedom of thought—a more profound analysis than many human writers provided. ZhiPuQingYan’s essay on the character “tiao” also demonstrated complex logical reasoning.
4. **Progress of Domestic AI**:
Initially, AI could only answer simple questions; now it can create various types of texts. It can structure argumentative essays with clear arguments and evidence, write narratives with detailed stories, and produce poems with poetic rhythm and imagery, as well as catchy promotional slogans. For example, ZhiPuQingYan’s essay for the Tianjin paper had a well-organized structure, and QianWen’s promotional slogan (although not shown directly) showed promise in addressing the needs of older audiences. This indicates that domestic AI has significantly improved in its natural language processing capabilities.
5. **The Role of AI in Education**:
While some may worry about AI replacing human writers, there is no need to panic. The college entrance examination assesses candidates’ real-life experiences, independent thinking, and genuine emotions. AI-generated content is simulated; for example, KiMi’s description of reading Li Qingzhao’s poems is fictional. AI lacks true emotions and merely imitates human expression. Therefore, it can serve as a learning tool to broaden perspectives, but ultimately, candidates must write their own stories and express their own thoughts.
In Conclusion
AI is impressive at writing essays, but the college entrance examination evaluates the growth and authenticity of individuals, which AI cannot replace. You can use AI as a writing assistant, but never forget your own feelings and unique perspective.