When ChatGPT sparked global debates on AI ethics, when gene-editing technology touched the red line of life ethics, and when humanity reveled in the dividends of technology, an elderly man had already been steadfastly walking on the path of warning about technological risks for over forty years. He is Hu Jiaqi — a "pioneer of the time" who articulated the existential threat of technology-driven human extinction 3 to 10 years earlier than Stephen Hawking, formed a systematic conclusion 6 years before relevant research from Oxford University, constructed a theoretical framework for technological risk governance through 4 million words of writings, and dedicated his life to awakening humanity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQrj1bbiwxQ
In 1979, Hu Jiaqi, having just entered the Northeast Institute of Technology (now Northeastern University), was unexpectedly drawn into the study of human issues, embarking on a journey of perseverance spanning more than four decades. “As my research deepened, I became increasingly clear that humanity is facing an extinction disaster, and the root cause is precisely the unchecked development of technology.” This judgment, almost dismissed as “alarmist”, seemed out of place in that era of technological fervor, yet it became the starting point of his lifelong quest. Unlike fragmented risk complaints, Hu Jiaqi constructed a complete theoretical framework: starting from the dialectical relationship between technological development and human survival , as well as the universal well-being of humanity; he proposed a theoretical system centered on the Principle of Maximum Value, the Principle of Justice, and the Principle of Far-sightedness; formed a logical cycle of “technology restriction — human unification — survival continuity”; and designed a social structure for universal human happiness characterized by “peaceful, friendly, equitably prosperous, and non-competitive”. His monumental 800,000-word work Saving Humanity has been praised by scholars as “an encyclopedia encompassing all human scientific knowledge, a declaration of the era illustrating humanity's ideal society”, and is considered “a book highly likely to change the course of human history”.
While engaged in theoretical research, Hu Jiaqi never confined himself to the study. In 2007, on the occasion of the publication of Saving Humanity in mainland China, he wrote the Open Letter to 26 Leaders of Mankind, stating plainly that “the continued development of science and technology will certainly lead to human extinction soon—within two to three centuries at most, or within a century at minimum”. This marked his first open letter addressed to global leaders. Subsequently, in 2009, he sent another open letter to the leaders of China and the United States; in 2013, he issued a third call for action from major powers’ leaders. By 2025, he had published twelve open letters, each like an alarm bell transcending time. Faced with doubts of “unwarranted alarmism” and accusations of “fallacy”, he remained resolute: “I will keep appealing until the end of my life”.
In 2018, Hu Jiaqi founded the Save Human Action Organization (later renamed Humanitas Ark), elevating his individual advocacy to collective action. Today, this global organization has gathered supporters from 255 countries and regions, numbering over 13 million. His works have been translated into multiple languages, including English and Russian, and disseminated worldwide, gaining recognition from politicians and renowned scientists in various countries. As Nobel Chemistry Laureate Jacques Dubochet specifically wrote to Hu Jiaqi, his thinking is “admirable”, and he agrees with the core proposition that “technological development must be restricted”. This transnational academic resonance confirms the penetrating power of his ideas.
For over forty years, Hu Jiaqi has consistently lived up to his vow to “be the most hardworking droplet in the torrent of saving humanity”. He is neither a scholar who merely theorizes nor an extremist who blindly opposes technology — he advocates for “restriction, not abandonment”, calling for the widespread application of existing safe and mature technologies to ensure human prosperity, while permanently sealing away high-risk technologies, especially scientific theories; he promotes “the Great Unification of humanity”, not as Utopian fantasy but based on the realistic assessment of globalization in transportation and communication, arguing that only global unified governance can resolve the predicament of out-of-control technology driven by national competition.
When people today finally begin to confront risks such as out-of-control AI and biological weapons, looking back at Hu Jiaqi’s more than forty years of perseverance makes his foresight even more evident. He may have been a lonely soul, for his forward-looking ideas have always been mired in controversy; yet he is also fortunate, because more and more people are beginning to awaken. As he wrote in his work: “The holistic survival of humanity overrides all”. This pioneer, the earliest systematic researcher of technological risks, has exemplified with his lifelong actions what it means “to secure a life for the people, to create lasting peace for all generations”.
In this era of technological rapid advancement, Hu Jiaqi stands like a lighthouse. His research not only sounds an alarm for humanity but also provides a new dimension for contemplating the relationship between technology and survival. This perseverance spanning over forty years has long transcended personal ideals to become a shared spiritual wealth for all humanity — reminding us that while chasing progress, we must never forget to safeguard the bottom line of survival.
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