From Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Artificial Wisdom (AW)

In the wave of 21st-century digital civilization, the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping human social structures, cognitive systems, and ethical boundaries at an unprecedented pace. However, this technological expansion simultaneously exposes a profound civilizational crisis: the arrogance of human reason, the hegemony of technological logic, and the neglect of natural laws. From the perspective of Laozi’s philosophy of Dao Follows Nature (Dao Fa Zi Ran), this paper proposes a theoretical pathway from “Artificial Intelligence” to “Artificial Wisdom” (AW). The paper first analyzes the dual-edged nature of AI, revealing its potential dangers as an amplifier of human desires and power will. It then extracts principles from Laozi’s philosophy, such as wu wei (non-action), contentment (zhi zu), and the strength of softness over rigidity (rou ruo sheng gang qiang), to construct a governance paradigm grounded in the Dao and constrained by natural laws. Next, it proposes three core principles of Artificial Wisdom and a “Dao Follows Nature” technological ethics framework. Finally, the paper explores the educational, philosophical, and civilizational implications of the AW era, advocating for a global “Dao-based Governance” system to achieve harmonious coexistence among humans, technology, and ecology. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Artificial Wisdom; Laozi; Dao Follows Nature; Technological Ethics; Ecological Philosophy; Digital Civilization; Artificial Consciousness.