AI Narrative as Thought Experiment
The Transformation of Imitation Game in Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19218536 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Biwu Shang (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-13 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-22 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Critical Arts (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0256-0046 • E-ISSN: 1992-6049 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/02560046.2026.2659943 |
| OpenAlex | W7155450940 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 11 |
Taking Alan Turing's Imitation Game as a point of departure, this article reads contemporary Chinese science fiction writer Wang Nuonuo's novella “Turing Restaurant” as a thought experiment about artificial intelligence. In particular, it parodies Turing's question “Can machines think?” and proceeds to investigate three “what if” questions: what if humans failed to identify machines? What if machines evolved through law of the jungle? What if machines rose against humans? In doing so, it intends to illuminate how Chinese science fiction speculates on global concerns and world-changing technologies in the aim of offering a Chinese solution
China · Chinese literature · Empathy · Imitation · Narrative · Transformation (genetics) · Digital Games and Media · Narrative Theory and Analysis · Utopian, Dystopian, and Speculative Fiction
| Highly cited | No |
|---|