The development of artificial intelligence (AI，人工智能)is a hot topic these days. AI makes it possible for machines to learn from experience and perform human-like tasks. But what is the future of AI? Will it be a good thing? We asked students what they think.

The wide use of Internet technology has made our lives easier but causes a big challenge to senior citizens, who are not always comfortable with smartphones and so many new apps.

Only a few senior citizens are able to enjoy the benefits that new technologies offer. According to the figures of the National Bureau, the number of people aged 60 and above was 253.88 million in 2019, about 18.1% of China’s population. But only 23% of the senior citizens were able to use the Internet. That means more than three—fourths of the elderly can’t enjoy the digital benefits.

Many senior citizens who can’t use smartphones are facing difficulties during this pandemic (流行病). Even with a smartphone in hand and Internet available, many of them still feel helpless. They don’t know how to call a taxi through the apps. There have been reports of many shops refusing the elders because they don’t know how to pay using smartphones, instead of letting them pay with cash. What’s worse, as they don’t know how to get the Internet—based health code (健康码), they are refused to enter many public places. Showing personal health code is part of the epidemic prevention (防疫) and control measures.

New technologies become popular because they are often of great use in our daily lives. But many senior citizens, especially those living in the countryside, are not able to use the Internet or smartphones, either because of financial (经济的) problems or because they cannot learn new things. The digital gap between the elderly and the young is becoming more obvious. However, the senior citizens should not become a silent group deprived (剥夺) of digital benefits. It is our responsibility to help them bridge the digital gap, and be patient with them when they face difficulties catching up.

Are you keen on learning something new? Are you looking for application programs that can help you learn with confidence. The following apps will just suit your needs.

Quizlet

Best for: Boosting your knowledge and brushing up your skills

Whether you are brushing up on a language, gardening knowledge and cooking techniques, or having a good command of your favorite literature classics, the online learning platform, Quizlet, gives you access to over 300 million different study sets on almost any subject you can imagine for free.

Babbel

Best for: Learning a new language

As well as being a great skill to show off on holiday, learning a new language can have profound(深远的) effects on solving problems and might even give you a leg-up in your career. With classes designed to be 10-15 minutes long, Babbel encourages learning in short, yet achievable, bursts. So why not give language learning a try?

Blinkist

Best for: Bite-sized book learning

Blinkist is the perfect app to provide the key highlights from non-fiction books in both audio and text form. Whether you want to start a new business, improve your management skills, or achieve a better life balance, micro-learning app Blinkist takes key ideas from non-fiction texts and summarizes them into easy-to-consume 15-minute digests.

Remente

Best for: Improving mental well-being

Stress is something that most of us face on a daily basis—be it at work or at home—and continual worry and stress can be harmful to your health.

Whether the aim is to improve mental well-being, mindfulness, stress management or personal or professional relationships, Remente guides users through every step in order to make their goals a reality. It does this through dividing your overall aim into daily goals, making large tasks manageable and keeping you on track.