At a youth forum themed "NEX-T" held at Stanford University in Silicon Valley, 16-year-old high school student Cindy Qianxun Ren from Boston's Tabor Academy captivated the audience with her profound passion for neuroscience and insightful perspectives on artificial intelligence.
Cindy's research interest is deeply personal, stemming from her experience as a caregiver for family and friends with Alzheimer's, ADHD, and other mental illnesses. She pointed out the severe stigma still faced by individuals with brain disorders, which strengthened her resolve to explore the mysteries of the mind.
Currently conducting research in an Alzheimer's electrophysiology lab at Harvard Medical School, Cindy astutely observed a "gap" between traditional research methods and those augmented by AI. For instance, electrophysiology data is still processed manually, which is inefficient. She proposed using deep learning models to automatically detect disease patterns in brain waves, a method that could revolutionize the field. Her own research employs deep learning to analyze zebrafish movement, assessing the effects of plant extracts on student anxiety.
When asked how AI would shape her career, Cindy emphasized the importance of "integrated learning." She shared an experience with a cancer researcher from Johns Hopkins University, highlighting the vast "knowledge gap" between scientists and software engineers. Engineers cannot judge the quality of scientific data, while certain data inclusion decisions require a scientist's subjective judgment. Therefore, she argued, the next generation must become interdisciplinary talents who understand both science and engineering to develop AI systems that truly meet scientific needs.
Regarding her concerns about AI, Cindy listed three points: First, the AI industry might attract too much talent, leading to a brain drain from fundamental scientific research. Second, applying AI to sensitive fields like genetic engineering would intensify existing ethical debates. Third, AI could widen the "digital divide," leaving people in under-resourced areas behind.
Cindy is already taking action. As a youth leader for the nonprofit "Kindness Matters Inc.," she is helping develop an AI-powered literacy platform for underprivileged children. The platform will use an adaptive reading system and AI-assisted writing tools to help children learn to read and write.
When asked what one major human challenge AI should solve, Cindy's answer was "longevity." She envisions AI helping to create a "digital twin" of the human body to non-invasively predict diseases, ultimately aiming to conquer Alzheimer's and other major cognitive disorders responsible for a significant percentage of elderly deaths.
Cindy's story exemplifies how a Gen Z individual can transform personal empathy into scientific drive, while thoughtfully and responsibly considering the relationship between technology and humanity's future.
