As a child, sitting in front of the TV watching “Doraemon,” I always hoped that the magic pocket could produce a Anywhere Door or a time machine.
I also longed for a day when robots could help my mother with housework and chat with my grandfather— for those born in the 80s and 90s, “robots” have never been just a cold technological term, but a warm dream hidden in childhood memories.
Today, as we vigorously promote AI development, it may seem like we are chasing technological trends, but in reality, we are paving the way for our own retirement.
As the aging population collides with declining birth rates and external competition becomes increasingly fierce, the robots that once appeared in animations will ultimately become the “hardcore support” for our retirement.
The childhood of the post-80s and post-90s generations was wrapped in dreams of robots.
After school, we would drop our backpacks and sit in front of the TV watching “Astro Boy” and “Transformers.”
During breaks, we would discuss whether “robots could help us with our homework,” and our diaries were filled with drawings of our designed “all-purpose robots”: capable of carrying heavy bags of rice and oil, cooking for us when our parents worked late, and accompanying lonely elderly people for walks and chats.
At that time, the dream was pure; we simply believed that robots could solve all “troubles.”
Now, as we have become the backbone of society, with aging parents and young children, we realize that those childhood dreams have long transformed into real needs.
As our parents age and require care when they become less mobile, and as we ourselves work long hours and exhaust our health, who will take care of us in our old age?
In the context of declining birth rates, the idea of “raising children for old age” is no longer realistic, and AI robots are the “retirement security” we are building for ourselves.
Vigorously developing AI is also an inevitable choice in response to demographic changes.
The seventh national census shows that the proportion of people aged 60 and above in our country has exceeded 18%, while most post-80s and post-90s individuals are only children, meaning a couple must support four elderly parents while also raising children, which is a significant pressure.
In the next two to three decades, as we enter old age, labor shortages will become the norm, and the demand for elderly care workers will continue to grow.
At that time, AI robots can fill the gap: care robots can regularly measure blood pressure, dispense medication, and assist with turning bedridden elderly individuals, addressing the challenges of caring for those with disabilities;
companion robots can chat with us, play chess, and watch shows, alleviating feelings of loneliness; household robots can clean rooms, cook, and do laundry, enhancing the quality of our later years.
More importantly, robots do not need rest, do not have emotions, and can be on call 24 hours a day, which is an irreplaceable advantage over human labor.
It can be said that developing AI is not a choice but a necessary answer for the post-80s and post-90s generations to address the retirement crisis.
In addition, AI robots are also our core strength in responding to external threats.
Currently, global technological competition is becoming increasingly fierce, and artificial intelligence has become the focus of major power struggles. Whoever masters advanced AI technology will hold the initiative for the future.
These technologies can not only be used for elderly care but also empower various fields such as industry, healthcare, and national defense: industrial robots can improve production efficiency, making our manufacturing industry more competitive; medical robots can perform precise surgeries and rapid diagnoses, safeguarding public health; intelligent defense robots can protect national sovereignty, ensuring our safe and stable lives.
Only by vigorously developing AI can we secure our footing in international competition and build an unbreakable “safety barrier” for the retirement lives of the post-80s and post-90s generations.
Moreover, those younger than us, born in the 00s and 01s, are likely to become the initiators of a new civilization.
When AI robots take on all physical labor and repetitive tasks, humanity will be liberated, allowing us more time to pursue spiritual growth.
No longer burdened by the struggle for survival or troubled by trivial matters, we can delve into culture, explore science, and cultivate our minds and bodies, just like ancient practitioners, striving for the maximization of self-worth.
At that time, “cultivating immortality” will no longer be a myth but a new form of human civilization in the AI era— the post-80s and post-90s generations have paved the way for AI, while the post-00s and post-01s will stand on our shoulders to open a new chapter of advanced civilization.
From childhood dreams of robots to our current efforts in AI development, the lives of the post-80s and post-90s generations have been dedicated to striving for a “better life.”
Our vigorous development of AI is not only to fulfill childhood dreams but also to take responsibility for our own retirement and create a better future for the next generation.
Perhaps one day in the future, when we sit in rocking chairs and a robot brings us hot tea, reminiscing about the days spent chasing “Doraemon,” we will be grateful that we did not let down the times or ourselves.
What kind of robots did you dream of as a child? What other problems do you think future AI robots can help us solve?
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section and forward this article to fellow post-80s and post-90s individuals to cheer for our retirement dreams!