New Problems Facing the Construction of an Intelligent Society and Solutions

The construction of an intelligent society is an inevitable product of the contradictory movement between productive forces and relations of production. Marx pointed out that “the productive forces of labour develop continuously with the continuous progress of science and technology,” and technological revolution has always been the core driving force for the leap in social forms. Human society is accelerating its advance toward an intelligent society characterized by intelligence as its core feature; intelligent manufacturing, smart governance, and intelligent living are reshaping China’s economic form and social operation mode. However, while releasing enormous dividends, the construction of an intelligent society is facing systemic “growing pains” such as ethical anomie, social imbalance, security breaches, and governance failure. Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must seize the opportunity of the integrated development of digitalization, networking, and intelligence, cultivate new drivers of growth through informatization, and use new drivers to promote new development.” This assertion points the direction for the construction of an intelligent society. Therefore, it is necessary to deeply understand the strategic necessity of building an intelligent society, soberly assess the deep-seated contradictions and risks accompanying it, explore solutions based on the rule of law, people-centeredness, pluralistic co-governance, and innovation-driven approaches, and, with a high degree of historical consciousness and strategic resolve, ensure that the wave of intelligence develops in a direction conducive to the well-being of the people, social progress, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, ultimately realizing Marx’s lofty ideal of a “community of free individuals.”

智能社会建设是生产力与生产关系矛盾运动的必然产物。马克思指出，“劳动生产力是随着科学和技术的不断进步而不断发展的”，技术革命始终是推动社会形态跃迁的核心动力。人类社会正加速迈向以智能化为核心特征的智能社会，智能制造、智慧治理、智能生活正重塑我国经济形态与社会运行方式。然而，智能社会建设在释放巨大红利的同时，正面临伦理失范、社会失衡、安全失守与治理失效等系统性“成长烦恼”。习近平强调：“要抓住数字化、网络化、智能化融合发展的契机，以信息化培育新动能，用新动能推动新发展。”这一论断为智能社会建设指明了方向。因此，深刻认识建设智能社会的战略必要性，清醒研判其伴生的深层次矛盾与风险，探索以法治为基石、以人为本、多元共治、创新驱动的破解路径，并以高度的历史自觉和战略定力，确保智能化浪潮朝着有利于人民福祉、有利于社会进步、有利于民族复兴的方向发展，最终实现马克思所描绘的“自由人联合体”的崇高理想。

I. The Necessity of Constructing an Intelligent Society

一、智能社会建设的必要性

At present, the cluster breakthrough of new-generation information technologies centered on artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and blockchain is reshaping humanity’s modes of production, lifestyles, and social governance, pushing human society toward a new stage of an intelligent society. The construction of an intelligent society is both an objective demand of the development of productive forces and an active adjustment of relations of production to adapt to productive forces. This adjustment profoundly reveals the necessary significance of the transformation and construction of an intelligent society for China’s high-quality economic development, the modernization of social governance, and the satisfaction of the people’s needs for a better life.

当前，以人工智能、物联网、区块链为核心的新一代信息技术集群式突破，正在重构人类的生产方式、生活方式与社会治理模式，将人类社会推向智能社会的新阶段。智能社会建设既是生产力发展的客观需求，也是生产关系适应生产力的主动调整，这一调整深刻揭示了智能化社会转型建设对于我国经济高质量发展、社会治理现代化以及满足人民美好生活需要的必要意义。

(1) The Construction of an Intelligent Society Is the Core Engine Driving High-Quality Economic Development

（一）智能社会建设是驱动经济高质量发展的核心引擎

Marx believed: “The hand-mill gives you society with the feudal lord; the steam-mill gives you society with the industrial capitalist.” This assertion profoundly reveals the basic principle that productive forces determine relations of production. The information technology industrial revolution in the New Era is becoming a new “intelligent mill,” driving fundamental changes in social forms. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Science and technology are the primary productive forces, and innovation is the primary driving force for development.” As the core driving force of the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, intelligent technology is reshaping the global competition landscape and becoming a key arena for the comprehensive national power competition among countries. First, the transformation and construction of an intelligent society is a new driver for the leap in total factor productivity. Intelligent manufacturing, with the help of technologies such as the Industrial Internet and digital twins, achieves automation, flexibility, and intelligence in production. As of 2025, China has cultivated 421 national-level intelligent manufacturing demonstration factories, with the numerical control rate of key processes reaching 80.1%, significantly improving product quality and production efficiency. This confirms Marx’s view that “the development of the system of machinery is the application of social knowledge in direct production”; intelligence is precisely the concentrated embodiment of systematizing human knowledge into algorithms and directly applying it to the production process. Second, the transformation and construction of an intelligent society is a key path to achieving intensive and efficient development. The traditional economy suffers from problems such as resource misallocation and energy waste; intelligent technology provides new solutions through real-time sensing, data analysis, and intelligent decision-making. The “15th Five-Year Plan for Modern Energy System Development (2026-2030)” [1]1 The “15th Five-Year Plan” refers to China’s national economic and social development plan for 2026–2030, the fifteenth such five-year cycle since 1953. issued by the National Energy Administration emphasizes improving the intelligent level of the energy supply chain, achieving all-round perception and digital management of each link. This is a modern practice of Marx’s idea that “socialized large-scale production requires planned and proportional development,” using technology to achieve efficient coordination of social reproduction. Third, the transformation and construction of an intelligent society is a strategic choice to seize the global technological high ground. In 2023, Xi Jinping, during his inspection in Heilongjiang, first proposed the concept of “new quality productive forces,” emphasizing “integrating scientific and technological innovation resources, leading the development of strategic emerging industries and future industries, and accelerating the formation of new quality productive forces.” Building an intelligent society is the core content of cultivating new quality productive forces. Major countries in the world have all listed artificial intelligence, quantum information, integrated circuits, etc., as strategic areas of competition. For example, the United States has released the “National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan,” the European Union has introduced the “Artificial Intelligence Act,” and China’s “New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” clearly sets out a “three-step” strategy, aiming to become a world-leading artificial intelligence innovation center by 2030. By building an intelligent society, it is possible to accelerate the intelligent transformation of traditional industries, expand the digital economy, and create internationally competitive industrial clusters. This is not only an economic issue but also a strategic issue concerning the country’s development initiative and security.

马克思认为：“手推磨产生的是封建主的社会，蒸汽磨产生的是工业资本家的社会。”这一论断深刻揭示了生产力决定生产关系的基本原理。新时代的信息技术产业革命正成为新的“智能磨”，推动社会形态发生根本性变革。习近平指出：“科学技术是第一生产力，创新是引领发展的第一动力。”智能技术作为新一轮科技革命和产业变革的核心驱动力，正在重塑全球竞争格局，成为国家综合国力较量的关键领域。其一，智能化社会转型建设是全要素生产率跃升的新动能。智能化社会转型建设是全要素生产率跃升的新动能。智能制造借助工业互联网、数字孪生等技术，达成生产自动化、柔性化与智能化。截至2025年，我国培育421家国家级智能制造示范工厂，关键工序数控化率达80.1%，大幅提升产品质量与生产效率，印证了马克思“机器体系发展是社会知识在直接生产中应用”的观点，智能化正是将人类知识系统化、算法化并直接作用于生产过程的集中体现。其二，智能化社会转型建设是实现集约高效发展的关键路径。传统经济存在资源错配、能源浪费等问题，智能技术通过实时感知、数据分析与智能决策提供新解。国家能源局发布的《“十五五”现代能源体系发展规划(2026-2030)》强调提升能源供应链智慧化水平，实现各环节全方位感知、数字化管理等，这是对马克思“社会化大生产要求有计划按比例发展”思想的现代实践，以技术实现社会再生产的高效协同。其三，智能化社会转型建设是抢占全球科技制高点的战略选择。2023年，习近平在黑龙江考察时首次提出“新质生产力”概念，强调“整合科技创新资源，引领发展战略性新兴产业和未来产业，加快形成新质生产力”。而建设智能社会则是培育新质生产力的核心内容。世界主要国家均将人工智能、量子信息、集成电路等列为战略必争领域。例如，美国发布《国家人工智能研究与发展战略计划》，欧盟推出《人工智能法案》，我国《新一代人工智能发展规划》明确“三步走”战略，目标2030年成为世界主要人工智能创新中心。通过建设智能社会，可加速传统产业智能化改造、壮大数字经济、打造国际竞争力产业集群，这不仅是经济议题，更是关乎国家发展主动权与安全的战略问题。

(2) The Construction of an Intelligent Society Is a Key Lever for Enhancing the Modernization Level of Social Governance

（二）智能社会建设是提升社会治理现代化水平的关键抓手

The superstructure reacts upon the economic base. As an advanced productive force, intelligent technology necessarily requires compatible relations of production and superstructure. Building an intelligent society is precisely about promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity through technological empowerment, which is highly consistent with the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC [2]2 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC was held in October 2019 and focused on upholding and improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and advancing the modernization of national governance. on “upholding and improving the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and advancing the modernization of national governance.” First, it is necessary to enhance governance efficiency and achieve refined, dynamic, and intelligent governance. Traditional bureaucratic governance models face problems such as information asymmetry, lagging response, and high coordination costs, while intelligent technology provides a sharp tool to solve “governance failure.” The “Guiding Opinions of the State Council on Strengthening the Construction of Digital Government” [3]3 The State Council is the chief administrative authority of the People’s Republic of China, equivalent to the national cabinet. clearly states the need to “build a collaborative and efficient digital government capacity system for performing duties.” For example, by establishing an urban operation command center, integrating systems such as the 12345 hotline, grid management, and emergency command, it is possible to achieve “one screen to view the entire region, one network to manage the entire city.” This embodies the possibility, as Engels said, of “social forces” being “placed under common control,” making them truly serve social welfare. Second, it is necessary to optimize the supply of public services and practice the people-centered development thought. The communist society depicted by Marx and Engels is an association where “the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all”; building an intelligent society must adhere to putting the people first. For example, smart healthcare uses remote diagnosis and treatment to allow high-quality medical resources to sink to the grassroots, alleviating the difficulty of “seeing a doctor.” As of October 2025, over 15,000 medical institutions nationwide have launched internet medical services, vividly interpreting the concept of “development results shared by the people” and serving as an important way to promote social fairness and justice. Third, it is necessary to maintain public safety and social stability and build a solid intelligent defense line for national security. Security is a prerequisite for development, and intelligent technology plays a prominent role in maintaining public safety. The “15th Five-Year Plan” for emergency management aims to build a more intelligent and efficient public safety system. For example, using AI video analysis technology to achieve 24-hour intelligent monitoring of key areas, enhancing public security prevention and control capabilities; in the field of disaster prevention and reduction, satellite remote sensing combined with AI models can provide early warnings of disasters, buying time for personnel evacuation. Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must use big data to enhance the modernization level of national governance… We must use informatization to promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.” The intelligent security system is precisely the concrete implementation of the “holistic view of national security” [4]4 The “holistic view of national security” is a concept promoted by Xi Jinping that integrates political, economic, military, cultural, social, and other dimensions of security. at the technical level, enhancing social resilience through technical means and ensuring the safety of people’s lives and property and the overall stability of society.

上层建筑反作用于经济基础，智能技术作为先进生产力，必然要求适配的生产关系与上层建筑。建设智能社会，正是通过技术赋能推动国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，这与党的二十届四中全会“坚持和完善中国特色社会主义制度、推进国家治理现代化”的精神高度契合。一要增强治理效能，实现精细化、动态化、智能化治理。传统的科层制治理模式面临信息不对称、响应滞后、协调成本高等问题，而智能技术则为破解“治理失灵”提供了利器。《国务院关于加强数字政府建设的指导意见》明确提出，要“构建协同高效的政府数字化履职能力体系”。例如，通过建立城市运行指挥中心，整合12345热线、网格化管理、应急指挥等系统，实现“一屏观全域、一网管全城”。这体现了恩格斯所说的“社会力量”被“置于共同控制之下”的可能性，使其真正为社会谋福利。二要优化公共服务供给，践行以人民为中心的发展思想。马克思、恩格斯描绘的共产主义社会是“每个人的自由发展是一切人的自由发展的条件”的联合体，建设智能社会必须坚持人民至上。例如，智慧医疗借助远程诊疗让优质医疗资源下沉基层，缓解“看病难”，截至2025年10月，全国超1.5万家医疗机构开展互联网医疗服务，生动诠释了“发展成果由人民共享”的理念，是促进社会公平正义的重要途径。三要维护公共安全与社会稳定，筑牢国家安全智能防线。安全是发展前提，智能技术在维护公共安全中作用凸显。“十五五”应急管理规划旨在构建更智能高效的公共安全体系。例如，利用AI视频分析技术实现重点区域24小时智能监控，提升治安防控能力；在防灾减灾领域，卫星遥感等结合AI模型可提前预警灾害，为人员转移争取时间等。习近平强调：“要运用大数据提升国家治理现代化水平……要以信息化推进国家治理体系和治理能力现代化。”智能安防系统正是“总体国家安全观”在技术层面的具体落实，通过技术手段增强社会韧性，保障人民生命财产安全和社会大局稳定。

(3) The Construction of an Intelligent Society Is an Important Way to Meet the People’s Aspirations for a Better Life

（三）智能社会建设是满足人民对美好生活向往的重要途径

The highest value pursuit of Marxism is the realization of people’s free and comprehensive development. Building an intelligent society ultimately aims to serve people, liberate people, and promote people’s comprehensive development. This is highly consistent with Xi Jinping’s solemn commitment that “the people’s aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle.” First, the construction of an intelligent society creates convenient living, liberating people’s physical strength and time. Smart home systems allow residents to control appliances, security, and lighting through voice or mobile phones, while personalized recommendation algorithms help users quickly find needed content in the ocean of information. These technological applications are essentially what Marx called “machines and natural forces as the automaton of the producer” replacing people’s direct labor, thereby “liberating human labor power from the direct production process.” Second, the construction of an intelligent society promotes social inclusion, empowers vulnerable groups, and achieves equality of opportunity. Technologies such as screen-reading software, speech recognition, and gesture control provide new channels for information access and communication for visually and hearing-impaired individuals. Smart prosthetics and exoskeleton robots help disabled persons restore mobility, reflecting the humanistic care of technological development and serving as an important boost on the path to “common prosperity.” Finally, the construction of an intelligent society stimulates social vitality and empowers individuals to unleash their creative potential. Smart platforms lower the threshold for innovation and entrepreneurship; individuals without massive capital or teams can display their talents and create value through short videos, live streaming, and paid knowledge. This atmosphere of “everyone can innovate, everywhere can create” is a nascent form of the “association of free individuals” envisioned by Marx, inspiring the innovative vitality of the entire society and opening broad space for realizing people’s free and comprehensive development.

马克思主义的最高价值追求是实现人的自由全面发展。建设智能社会，最终目标是服务于人，解放人，促进人的全面发展。这与习近平作出的“人民对美好生活的向往，就是我们的奋斗目标”的庄严承诺高度契合。首先，智能社会建设创造了便利生活，解放人的体力与时间。智能家居系统让居民通过语音或手机即可控制家电、安防、照明，而个性化推荐算法则帮助用户在信息海洋中快速找到所需内容等。这些技术应用，本质上是马克思所说的“机器和自然力作为生产者的自动机”代替了人的直接劳动，从而“把人的劳动力从直接生产过程中解放出来”。其次，智能社会建设促进了社会包容，赋能弱势群体，实现机会平等。智能读屏软件、语音识别、手势控制等技术，为视障、听障人士提供了信息获取和沟通交流的新渠道。智能假肢、外骨骼机器人帮助残障人士恢复行动能力，这体现了技术发展的人文关怀，是“共同富裕”道路上的重要助力。最后，智能社会建设激发社会活力，赋能个体释放创造潜能。智能平台降低了创新创业的门槛，个体无需庞大资本和团队，即可通过短视频、直播、知识付费等方式展示才华、创造价值，这种“人人皆可创新、处处皆可创造”的氛围，正是马克思所设想的“自由人联合体”的萌芽形态，激发了全社会的创新活力，为实现人的自由全面发展开辟了广阔空间。

II. New Problems Facing the Construction of an Intelligent Society

二、智能社会建设面临的新问题

In the New Era, with the deep penetration of information technology, the picture of an intelligent society is becoming increasingly clear. However, while this technological revolution brings leaps in efficiency and convenience in life, it also profoundly stirs social structures, ethical norms, and governance orders, exposing a series of complex and severe “growing pains” in the construction of an intelligent society. These problems are not only about technology itself but also touch on fairness and justice, human subjectivity, social stability, and the foundations of civilization, urgently requiring deep reflection from both theoretical and practical levels.

新时代随着信息技术的高度渗透，智能社会的图景日益清晰。然而，这一技术革命在带来效率跃升与生活便利的同时，也深刻地搅动着社会结构、伦理规范与治理秩序，使智能社会建设暴露出一系列复杂而严峻的“成长烦恼”。这些问题不仅关乎技术本身，更触及公平正义、人的主体性、社会稳定与文明根基，亟需从理论与实践层面进行深刻反思。

(I) Deep Prominence of Technological Ethics and Value Conflicts

（一）技术伦理与价值冲突的深度凸显

The widespread application of intelligent technology poses unprecedented challenges to traditional ethical frameworks, with value conflicts erupting intensively across multiple dimensions. First, algorithmic bias and systemic discrimination erode fairness and justice. Algorithmic bias refers to the phenomenon where, during data processing and decision-making output, the subjective cognition and goal setting of developers may be implicitly embedded in the algorithm, causing the algorithm to “learn” and amplify this bias, resulting in unfair treatment of specific groups. Algorithmic bias and systemic discrimination may lead to systemic discrimination in areas such as recruitment, credit, and judiciary, damaging fairness and justice. Furthermore, privacy breaches and data misuse bring enormous risks of privacy leakage. In the collection of massive data, especially biometric information, data is used for user profiling, precision marketing, and even behavior manipulation. Some scholars argue: “In an intelligent society, personal data has become an important asset, but the collection and use of data often lack effective regulation.” Some social media platforms, by analyzing users’ browsing history, likes, and comments, construct detailed user profiles, trapping users in “information cocoons” where they only encounter information consistent with their own views, limiting their thinking and perspective. Finally, algorithmic substitution weakens human subjectivity. Algorithmic substitution refers to using algorithmic models to replace traditional manual operations, empirical judgment, and fixed rule processes, achieving more efficient, precise, and scalable automated decision-making. Over-reliance on algorithmic decisions may weaken human judgment, autonomy, and sense of responsibility, leading to “technological alienation.” French scholar Michel Foucault pointed out: “In an intelligent society, people increasingly rely on algorithms to make decisions, from everyday shopping choices to decision-making at work.” However, algorithmic decision-making substitution is based on data and models, often lacking human emotions, morality, and value considerations. For example, in some recruitment algorithms, only quantifiable indicators such as candidates’ educational background and work experience may be emphasized, while soft qualities like innovation ability and teamwork spirit are overlooked.

智能技术的广泛应用，使得传统的伦理框架面临前所未有的挑战，价值冲突在多个维度集中爆发。首先，算法偏见与系统性歧视，使公平正义遭受侵蚀。算法偏见是指算法在数据处理、决策输出过程中，因开发者的主观认知、目标设定可能隐性嵌入算法，导致算法会“学习”并放大这种偏见，对特定群体产生不公平对待的现象。算法偏见与系统性歧视可能导致招聘、信贷、司法等领域出现系统性歧视，损害公平正义。再者，隐私泄露与数据滥用，带来了巨大的隐私泄露风险。在海量数据采集中，尤其是生物识别信息的采集，数据被用于用户画像、精准营销甚至操控行为。有学者认为：“在智能社会，个人的数据成为了一种重要的资产，但数据的收集和使用往往缺乏有效的监管。”一些社交媒体平台通过分析用户的浏览历史、点赞评论等数据，为用户构建详细的用户画像，使用户陷入“信息茧房”，只接触到符合自己观点的信息，限制了用户的思维和视野。最后，算法化替代，造成人的主体性削弱。算法化替代是指利用算法模型取代传统人工操作、经验判断和固定规则流程等，以实现更高效、精准、可扩展的自动化决策。过度依赖算法决策可能削弱人类的判断力、自主性和责任感，引发“技术异化”。法国学者米歇尔·福柯指出：“在智能社会，人们越来越依赖算法来做出决策，从日常生活中的购物选择到工作中的决策制定。”然而，算法的决策性替代是基于数据和模型，往往缺乏人类的情感、道德和价值观考量。例如，在一些招聘算法中，可能只注重候选人的学历、工作经验等量化指标，而忽略了候选人的创新能力、团队合作精神等软素质。

(II) Drastic Changes in Social Structure and Employment Patterns

（二）社会结构与就业形态的剧烈变革

The impact of intelligent technology on the labor market is disruptive, and the social structural changes it triggers cannot be ignored. First, the “employment cliff” of skill mismatch leads to the risk of structural unemployment. Currently, automation and AI are rapidly replacing repetitive, rule-based physical and mental labor. In 2017, the McKinsey Global Institute published a report, *Jobs Lost, Jobs Gained: Workforce Transitions in a Time of Automation*, predicting that by 2030, up to 800 million jobs globally could be lost due to automation, with the most affected areas being manufacturing, food service, and administrative support. A large number of low-skilled workers may face unemployment risk, while enterprises find it difficult to recruit suitable high-skilled talent. This skill mismatch problem can lead to structural unemployment and have a certain negative impact on socioeconomic stability. Furthermore, old problems in new social forms emerge, such as the “gig economy” and the lack of labor rights protection. The platform economy has spawned a large number of flexible workers, but they often face issues such as unstable income, lack of social security, and excessive work intensity. Under the “gig economy” model, the relationship between workers and platforms is often ambiguous; workers are not formal employees of the platform and lack the labor contract protection of traditional employment models. Finally, the digital divide exists not only between countries but also between different groups within a single country. The elderly, low-income groups, residents of remote areas, and those with lower education levels are at a disadvantage in accessing equipment, network connections, and digital skills. When public services become fully online and intelligent, these “digitally disadvantaged groups” may be excluded, forming an opposition between “digital elites” and “digital marginalized people,” contradicting the original intention of inclusive and shared benefits in an intelligent society.

智能技术对劳动力市场的冲击是颠覆性的，其引发的社会结构变迁不容忽视。首先，技能错配的“就业悬崖”，导致出现结构性失业风险。当前，自动化和AI正在快速取代重复性、规则性强的体力与脑力劳动。2017年，麦肯锡全球研究院发布《失业与就业：自动化时代的劳动力转型》一文中预测，到2030年，全球可能有8亿个工作岗位因自动化而消失，其中受影响最大的是制造业、餐饮服务、行政支持等领域。大量低技能劳动者或将面临失业风险，而企业又难以找到合适的高技能人才，这种技能错配问题会导致结构性失业，并对社会经济稳定产生一定负面影响。再者，社会新形态下的旧问题，出现“零工经济”与劳动权益保障缺失。平台经济催生大量灵活就业人员，但其常面临收入不稳定、社会保障缺位、工作强度过大等问题。在“零工经济”模式下，劳动者与平台之间的关系往往比较模糊，劳动者不属于平台的正式员工，缺乏传统就业模式下的劳动合同保护。最后，数字鸿沟（digital divide）不仅存在于国家之间，更存在于一国内部的不同群体之间。老年人、低收入群体、偏远地区居民、教育水平较低者在获取设备、网络连接和数字技能方面处于劣势。当公共服务全面线上化、智能化时，这些“数字弱势群体”可能被排除在外，形成“数字精英”与“数字边缘人”的对立，违背了智能社会普惠共享的初衷。

(III) Security Risks and Lagging Governance Systems

（三）安全风险与治理体系滞后

The “double-edged sword” effect of technology is particularly pronounced in the security field, and the lagging governance system further amplifies risks. First, cybersecurity threats are escalating. In an intelligent society, critical infrastructure, after becoming intelligent, faces more complex cyberattacks. For example, ransomware encrypts key data to demand ransoms, causing huge economic losses to enterprises and society, while deepfake technology may be maliciously used to damage personal reputation and disrupt social stability. Second, laws and regulations lag behind in supervision. The existing legal framework struggles to keep pace with rapid technological iteration, lacking clear definitions and effective regulatory means for data ownership, algorithm transparency, and AI responsibility. The development of intelligent technology far exceeds the speed of formulating and updating laws and regulations. For example, although China has enacted the *Data Security Law* and the *Personal Information Protection Law*, specific implementation rules, cross-departmental coordination, and enforcement capabilities still need strengthening. Regulatory agencies may face a “knowledge gap,” making it difficult to effectively assess the technical risks of complex AI systems, leading to a “regulatory vacuum.” Third, the governance system for constructing an intelligent society faces deep challenges. Technological change not only transforms the external world but also profoundly affects people’s inner lives and social relationships. For example, the public does not understand the algorithm “black box,” worries about privacy breaches, and develops anxiety and distrust toward intelligent technology. At the same time, although the popularity of social media facilitates communication, virtual social interaction is difficult to replace real social interaction, and over-reliance can lead to cold and alienated interpersonal relationships.

技术“双刃剑”效应在安全领域尤为显著，治理体系滞后更放大了风险。一是网络安全威胁不断升级。智能社会里，关键基础设施智能化后，面临更复杂的网络攻击。例如，勒索软件通过加密关键数据索要赎金，给企业与社会造成巨额经济损失，而深度伪造（Deepfake）技术可能被恶意利用，损害个人名誉、扰乱社会稳定等。二是法律法规监管滞后。现有法律框架难以跟上技术快速迭代，对数据权属、算法透明度、AI责任等缺乏清晰界定与有效监管手段，智能技术发展远超法律法规制定更新速度。例如，我国虽出台《数据安全法》《个人信息保护法》等，但具体实施细则、跨部门协调、执法能力等有待加强，监管机构可能面临“知识鸿沟”，难以有效评估复杂AI系统技术风险，导致“监管真空”。三是智能社会建设治理体系面临深层挑战。技术变革不仅改变外部世界，还深刻影响人的内心与社会关系。例如，公众对算法“黑箱”不理解，担忧隐私泄露，对智能技术产生焦虑和不信任。同时，社交媒体普及虽方便交流，但虚拟社交难替代真实社交，过度依赖会使人际关系冷漠疏离。

III. Path Choices for Constructing an Intelligent Society

三、构建智能社会的路径选择

The rise of the intelligent society is an important milestone in the evolution of human civilization. Its development not only reshapes the modes of production and daily life but also profoundly influences social structure, ethical order, and the global governance landscape. Xi Jinping pointed out: “Artificial intelligence is a strategic technology that leads a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and it has a ‘bellwether’ effect with strong spillover and driving force.” [9]9 Xi Jinping’s remark on AI as a “bellwether” technology, from a speech at the Ninth Collective Study Session of the Politburo of the 19th CPC Central Committee on 31 October 2018. This assertion is grounded in the Marxist view of science and technology while also meeting the practical needs of Chinese-path modernization. It provides a fundamental guideline for the healthy development of the intelligent society and systematically constructs a practical path toward a healthy and sustainable intelligent society from four dimensions: top-level design, value orientation, governance mechanisms, and innovation-driven development.

智能社会的崛起是人类文明演进的重要里程碑，其发展不仅重塑了生产生活方式，更深刻影响着社会结构、伦理秩序与全球治理格局。习近平指出：“人工智能是引领新一轮科技革命和产业变革的战略性技术，具有溢出带动性很强的‘头雁’效应。”这一论断既立足马克思主义科技观，又结合中国式现代化实践需求，为智能社会的健康发展提供了根本遵循，并从顶层设计、价值导向、治理机制、创新驱动等四个维度，系统构建健康、可持续智能社会的实践路径。

(I) Laying a Solid Foundation: Strengthening Top-Level Design and the Rule of Law

（一）筑牢根基：强化顶层设计与法治保障

Marxism holds that technology is “the objectification of the essential powers of man,” that is, through labor, humanity externalizes its wisdom and creativity into tools and machines, thereby transforming nature and developing society. First, technology should be a powerful tool for achieving human liberation and the free and comprehensive development of the individual. Therefore, the governance of the intelligent society must transcend the myth of “technological neutrality,” systematically examine the interaction between technology and social power as well as relations of production, and be highly vigilant against and effectively prevent technological alienation. In this regard, governance must reconstruct technological power relations through institutional innovations such as antitrust enforcement, data rights confirmation, and income distribution mechanisms, ensuring that technological development does not serve capital monopoly but instead returns to serving the public interest. Furthermore, human subjectivity must be upheld. Governance must ensure the fundamental boundary of “technology serving humanity,” safeguarding people’s right to know, right to choose, and right to withdraw, thereby maintaining autonomous judgment and spiritual independence amid the wave of intelligentization, and truly realizing the association that Marx envisioned: “the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.” [10]10 A direct quotation from Marx and Engels, *The Communist Manifesto* (1848), describing the ultimate goal of communist society. Finally, the construction of the intelligent society must take the national strategy as its guiding framework, clarifying the development vision, target system, and implementation path. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC [11]11 The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC, held in 2024, focused on further deepening reform and advancing Chinese-path modernization. set new goals for the development of Chinese-path modernization. In conjunction with the “Standardization Guidelines for the Development and Governance of the Intelligent Society (2025 Edition),” while clarifying breakthrough directions for core technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain, it coordinates the advancement of digital infrastructure construction, industrial digital transformation, and the enhancement of digital governance capabilities, forming a closed-loop system of “strategy—planning—action.”

马克思主义认为，技术是“人的本质力量的对象化”，即人类通过劳动将自身的智慧、创造力外化于工具和机器之中，从而改造自然、发展社会。首先，技术本应是实现人的解放与自由全面发展的有力工具。因此，智能社会的治理必须超越“技术中性论”的迷思，系统审视技术与社会权力、生产关系的互动，高度警惕并有效防范技术异化。对此，治理必须通过反垄断执法、数据确权与收益分配机制等制度创新，重构技术权力关系，确保技术发展不服务于资本垄断，而是回归服务于公共利益。再者，必须坚守人类主体性，治理需确保“技术为人”的根本边界，保障人的知情权、选择权与退出权，从而在智能化浪潮中保持自主判断与精神独立，真正实现马克思所憧憬的“每个人的自由发展是一切人的自由发展的条件”的联合体。最后，智能社会的建设需以国家战略为纲领，明确发展愿景、目标体系与实施路径。党的二十届四中全会锚定中国式现代化发展新目标，结合《智能社会发展与治理标准化指引（2025版）》，在明确人工智能、大数据、区块链等核心技术突破方向的同时，统筹推进数字基础设施建设、产业数字化转型与数字治理能力提升，形成“战略—规划—行动”的闭环体系。

The rule of law is the cornerstone of the operation of the intelligent society. Currently, China has enacted foundational laws such as the Data Security Law and the Personal Information Protection Law, but in the face of new technological challenges such as generative artificial intelligence and deepfakes, it is still necessary to refine supporting regulations. Specifically, a “classified supervision” framework for the intelligent society should be established, with differentiated rules formulated according to risk levels. For high-risk areas, “sandbox regulation” should be implemented, and ethical impact assessments should be conducted for major projects, allowing enterprises to test new technologies within defined scenarios. For low-risk areas, a “negative list” management approach should be promoted to stimulate innovation vitality. As Xi Jinping stated: “We must strengthen research on legal, ethical, and social issues related to artificial intelligence, and establish and improve the legal and regulatory systems, institutional frameworks, and ethical standards that ensure the healthy development of artificial intelligence.” This assertion unifies the rule of law with ethics and social benefits, embodying the Marxist value pursuit of “the free and comprehensive development of the individual.”

法治是智能社会运行的基石。当前，中国已出台《数据安全法》《个人信息保护法》等基础性法律，但面对生成式人工智能、深度伪造等新技术挑战，仍需细化配套法规。具体而言，建立智能社会“分类监管”框架，根据风险等级制定差异化规则，对高风险领域实施“沙盒监管”，对重大项目进行伦理影响评估，允许企业在限定场景内测试新技术，对低风险领域推行“负面清单”管理，激发创新活力。正如习近平所言：“要加强人工智能相关法律、伦理、社会问题研究，建立健全保障人工智能健康发展的法律法规、制度体系、伦理道德。”这一论断将法治与伦理、社会效益统一，体现了马克思主义“人的自由全面发展”价值追求。

(II) People-Centered: Bridging the Digital Divide, Ensuring Fairness and Dignity

（二）以人为本：弥合数字鸿沟，保障公平与尊严

The construction of the intelligent society must adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, ensuring that the fruits of technological progress benefit all the people, rather than exacerbating social polarization. Xi Jinping’s concept of “letting the hundreds of millions of people have a greater sense of gain in sharing the achievements of internet development” profoundly embodies the fundamental Marxist pursuit of “the comprehensive development of the individual” and “common prosperity.” First, the digital divide remains a key obstacle to the fair development of the intelligent society. To address this challenge, a systematic “national digital literacy improvement plan” must be implemented. For the elderly, “age-friendly” courses should be developed to enhance practical skills such as using smart devices and preventing fraud; for low-income groups, free training in e-commerce operations and data analysis should be provided to empower their participation in the digital economy; for people with disabilities, accessible interactive technologies should be designed to achieve technological inclusivity. Furthermore, China needs to build a more resilient social security system. The construction of the intelligent society must actively explore institutional innovations, promote “portable social security accounts” that allow workers to transfer rights and interests across regions and platforms, and study pilot programs for “universal basic income” (UBI) to provide a basic living safety net for those technologically unemployed, reflecting the superiority of the socialist system. Finally, in response to the practical demand that the intelligent society’s need for talent is shifting from a single knowledge-based type to a comprehensive competency-based type, it is necessary to advance a “three-dimensional reform” of education. In terms of educational content, courses on “Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence” and “Data Ethics” should be added in primary and secondary schools, while higher education should strengthen interdisciplinary training such as “Computer Science + Psychology” and “Law + Data Science.” In terms of educational methods, project-based learning (PBL) and blended teaching should be promoted, using AI to achieve personalized learning path planning. In terms of the educational system, a lifelong learning system of “pre-employment—on-the-job—job transfer” should be constructed.

智能社会的建设必须坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，确保技术进步成果惠及全体人民，而非加剧社会分化。习近平提出的“让亿万人民在共享互联网发展成果上有更多获得感”这一理念，深刻体现了马克思主义关于“人的全面发展”和“共同富裕”的根本追求。首先，数字鸿沟仍是制约智能社会公平发展的关键障碍。为应对这一挑战，必须实施系统性的“全民数字素养提升计划”，针对老年人，应开发“适老化”课程，提升智能设备使用和防诈骗知识等实用技能；为低收入群体提供免费电商运营、数据分析培训，赋能其参与数字经济；为残障人士设计无障碍交互技术，实现技术普惠等。再者，我国还需构建更具韧性的社会保障体系。智能社会建设必须积极探索制度创新，推广“便携式社保账户”，允许劳动者跨区域、跨平台转移权益，研究“全民基本收入”（UBI）试点，为技术性失业者提供基本生活托底，体现出社会主义制度优越性。最后，面对智能社会对人才的需求正从单一知识型转向综合素养型的现实要求，需推进教育“三维改革”。在教育内容上，中小学增设“人工智能基础”“数据伦理”课程，高等教育强化“计算机+心理学”“法学+数据科学”等跨学科培养；在教育方法上，推广项目制学习（PBL）、混合式教学，利用AI实现个性化学习路径规划；在教育制度上，构建“职前—在职—转岗”终身学习体系。

(III) Collaborative Co-Governance: Building a Multi-Participatory Governance System

（三）协同共治：构建多元参与的治理体系

The complexity and systematic nature of the intelligent society determine that its governance cannot rely on a single entity. It must transcend the traditional “government-centric” management model and build a modern governance system led by the government, with multi-party participation and collaborative advancement. This is not only a need for technological governance but also a practical deepening of the socialist concept of consultative democracy and the social governance concept of co-construction, co-governance, and shared benefits. Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must enhance the comprehensive governance capacity of the internet, forming a comprehensive internet governance pattern with multi-subject participation, including Party committee leadership, government management, enterprise responsibility, social supervision, and netizen self-discipline, and combining multiple means such as economic, legal, and technical measures.” This exposition provides a fundamental guideline for the governance of the intelligent society. The ideal governance structure should be an organic whole with four-party coordination: “government—enterprises—academia—the public.” The government, as the rule-maker and regulator, needs to clarify data classification and grading standards, delineate red lines for AI applications, crack down on data abuse, and lead the supply of public services such as smart city construction. Enterprises, as the main entities of technological innovation and application, must assume social responsibility, develop “Responsible AI,” avoid discrimination in algorithm design, implement protective measures such as anonymization and encryption for user data, and actively participate in the formulation of industry technical standards. In particular, enterprises should shift from “value capture” to “value creation” and “value sharing.” Academia plays the role of a “think tank,” conducting governance research on AI safety testing and algorithm bias, providing a scientific basis for policy formulation.

智能社会的复杂性与系统性决定了其治理不能依赖单一主体，必须超越传统的“政府单中心”管理模式，构建一个政府主导、多方参与、协同共进的现代治理体系。这不仅是技术治理的需要，更是社会主义协商民主和共建共治共享社会治理理念的实践深化。习近平指出：“要提高网络综合治理能力，形成党委领导、政府管理、企业履责、社会监督、网民自律等多主体参与，经济、法律、技术等多种手段相结合的综合治网格局。”这一论述为智能社会治理提供了根本遵循。理想的治理结构应是“政府—企业—学术界—社会公众”四方协同的有机整体。政府作为规则制定者和监管者，需明确数据分类分级标准、划定AI应用红线、打击数据滥用行为，并主导智慧城市建设等公共服务供给。企业作为技术创新和应用的主体，必须承担社会责任，开发“负责任的AI”(Responsible AI），在算法设计中规避歧视，对用户数据实施匿名化、加密等保护措施，并积极参与行业技术规范制定，特别是企业应从“价值捕获”转向“价值创造”与“价值共享”。学术界则发挥“思想库”作用，开展AI安全测试、算法偏见等治理研究，为政策制定提供科学依据。

(IV) Innovation-Driven: Focusing on Safety and Sustainable Development

（四）创新驱动：聚焦安全与可持续发展

The sustainable development of an intelligent society must be built on a foundation of safe, trustworthy, and sustainable innovation. Technological innovation cannot pursue only efficiency and speed; it must also internalize ethics, safety, and sustainability throughout the entire research and development process. Xi Jinping emphasized: “We must grasp the ‘bull’s nose’ of independent innovation in key digital core technologies, leverage the advantages of our country’s socialist system, the advantages of the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources, and the advantages of the ultra-large-scale market, improve the basic research and development capabilities of digital technology, and fight the tough battle for key core technologies.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the 34th Collective Study Session of the Political Bureau of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China,” October 18, 2021. The “bull’s nose” is a Chinese idiom meaning the key link or crucial point in a complex task. This important exposition points the direction for the development of our country’s intelligent technology. The safety of an intelligent society depends on technology being autonomous and controllable; it is necessary to build a solid safety foundation and focus on three core areas: in AI safety, develop defense technologies such as input purification and model robustness training against adversarial sample attacks to ensure stable system operation; in privacy computing, promote technologies such as federated learning and secure multi-party computation to achieve “data usable but invisible,” and regulate the market through the establishment of authoritative certification systems such as the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology’s “Privacy Computing Product Evaluation”; in trusted blockchain, optimize consensus mechanisms, promote the transition to low-carbon models such as “Proof of Stake” (PoS), and develop cross-chain technologies to improve interoperability. At the same time, technological innovation must transcend the model of “develop first, govern later,” place ethical considerations upfront, build an ethical closed loop, and establish a closed-loop governance mechanism of “technology research and development—ethical review—social assessment—dynamic adjustment.” At the project initiation stage, set up an independent science and technology ethics committee, collect social opinions through “citizen juries” and “public hearings,” and implement an “ethics veto system” for high-risk technologies. During operation, rely on professional institutions to establish an “AI risk early warning system,” monitor risks in real time, and dynamically optimize governance rules, thereby echoing the requirement to “integrate safe development into all fields and the entire process of national development,” [13]13 This phrase is drawn from the “14th Five-Year Plan” (2021–2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, adopted by the National People’s Congress in March 2021. and promote a shift in the development outlook toward giving equal weight to safety and sustainable development.

智能社会的可持续发展，必须建立在安全、可信、可持续的创新基础之上。技术创新不能仅追求效率与速度，更需将伦理、安全与可持续内化于研发全过程。习近平强调：“要牵住数字关键核心技术自主创新这个‘牛鼻子’，发挥我国社会主义制度优势、新型举国体制优势、超大规模市场优势，提高数字技术基础研发能力，打好关键核心技术攻坚战。”这一重要论述为我国智能技术发展指明了方向。智能社会安全依赖技术自主可控，需筑牢安全基石，聚焦三大核心领域：AI安全方面，针对对抗样本攻击，研发输入净化、模型鲁棒性训练等防御技术，保障系统稳定运行；隐私计算方面，推广联邦学习、安全多方计算等技术，实现“数据可用不可见”，并通过建立如中国信通院“隐私计算产品评估”等权威认证体系规范市场；可信区块链方面，优化共识机制，推动向“权益证明”（PoS）等低碳模式转型，发展跨链技术提升互操作性。同时，技术创新要超越“先发展、后治理”模式，前置伦理考量，构建伦理闭环，建立“技术研发—伦理审查—社会评估—动态调整”的闭环治理机制。立项时设独立科技伦理委员会，通过“公民陪审团”“公众听证会”收集社会意见，对高风险技术实施“伦理一票否决制”。在运行中依托专业机构建立“AI风险预警系统”，实时监测风险，动态优化治理规则，以此呼应“把安全发展贯穿国家发展各领域全过程”的要求，推动发展观向安全与可持续发展并重的转变。

Author’s brief introduction: Wang Wei, doctoral student at Harbin Engineering University, lecturer at the School of Marxism, Heilongjiang University of Science and Technology.

作者简介：王炜,哈尔滨工程大学博士研究生，黑龙江科技大学马院讲师。