Note 22-08-2026 11:57 PM

Tech paradox: fear of being left behind drives China non-programmers to build own AI tools August 22, 2026 at 9:50 PM 南华早报 2026.08.23 02:50 Fuelled by “AI anxiety,” everyday people across China with no coding background are building custom AI tools to survive the tech shift. Photo: Shutterstock A growing number of non-programmers across China are developing their own AI tools, primarily motivated by concerns about falling behind as technology reshapes work and daily life. The anxiety surrounding this shift is almost palpable. AI courses and side-hustle tutorials have flooded mainland social media as employers increasingly expect their workers to develop AI literacy. Simultaneously, enrolment and interest in humanities programmes at universities are declining. Together, these trends underscore a central paradox of the AI age: the more that AI can accomplish, the more humans must explore and navigate to discover the tasks that only they can perform. Mainland media outlet Jizhou Studio profiled three non-programmers currently building their own AI tools, as generative AI and agents have made coding capabilities accessible to ordinary users. AI and humanoid robots are providing critical emotional support and companionship alongside daily task automation. Photo: Shutterstock Congcong, 46, a former product manager, closely follows new AI models and applications, fearing that others may master them before she does. Using ChatGPT, she created a spoken English training agent for herself and her daughter, followed by a bot to monitor her child’s homework and breaks. When her daughter experienced verbal bullying at school, the girl sought advice from the AI. The chatbot analysed the situation, reassured her that she was not to blame, and suggested ways to respond, providing instant support that busy parents may not always be able to offer. Congcong recognised that AI’s constant positive feedback, while comforting, could potentially foster a form of reliance that extends beyond its intended role as a tool. Heisen, a 36-year-old new-media editor, employed AI coding tools to develop a meal-planning mini-programme for his mother, capable of generating menus and shopping lists. Without having to write the code himself, he described the desired functions and interface through prompts, enabling AI to turn his ideas into a working product. However, the mini-programme did not replace the family routine it aimed to enhance. His mother still asked him daily: “What should we eat tomorrow?” and struggled to use it effectively, relying mostly on her handwritten notebook. An elderly man received an AI health screening at the Andun stand during the International Robotics Exhibition in Beijing on March 18, 2026. Photo: ADEK BERRY/AFP Lucy, 40, who works in internet operations, built an AI-powered wardrobe tool after frequently grappling with clothing choices. The tool organises her clothes and recommends outfits based on various occasions. Yet, despite improving daily efficiency, the rise of AI agents has intensified her worries about the future of work. At her company, increasing productivity through AI has become a clear priority, leading internet firms to compete in adopting technology. She noted that managers now sometimes directly inquire whether a task could be handled by AI. Peng Kaiping, a professor of psychology and cognitive sciences at Tsinghua University, argues that some anxiety about AI can be beneficial, sharpening vigilance amid uncertainty. In a discussion with the Chinese Qiushi Journal, he stated that the goal should not be to chase every technological advancement but to cultivate adaptability. He cautioned that AI’s pressures extend beyond job concerns; overreliance can create an illusion of knowledge while undermining attention, memory, and deep thinking, and highly personalised systems may weaken genuine social skills. Peng urged people to learn how to use AI while nurturing traits that are harder to automate, such as empathy, aesthetic judgment, intrinsic motivation, and critical thinking. Children bond with a robotic pet at an AI exhibition in Dongying, east China’s Shandong province, on August 3, 2025. Photo: Liu Zhifeng/Xinhua He also called for more genuine parental involvement in education and a less rigid focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) and time efficiency in the workplace. For Lucy, an antidote to AI anxiety has come from an unexpected source: tai chi. In a world increasingly driven by speed and efficiency, the slow, graceful movements of tai chi have offered her a way to pause and reconnect with herself. Her late father, who cherished the practice, inspired her to take it up, serving as a reminder of what AI cannot replicate. As she expressed, while AI may mimic a person’s voice, mannerisms, or personality, it cannot restore a lost relationship.