Recently, the opening ceremony of the 2026 Fudan SoM Festival themed "Wisdom Converges in Management, Youth Innovates the World" was held at AIA Hall, School of Management at Fudan University. Amid the wave of artificial intelligence and technological transformation, young faculty and students of Fudan SoM have responded with their own endeavors. Some step into real industrial scenarios and address social pain points through technological innovation; some devote themselves to academic research and explore new possibilities for human-AI collaboration; others gain new insights into the value and future of management through continuous practice.

Resonant Voices: Youth Pioneers Talk. Dengkang Cheng, an undergraduate of the Class of 2024, shared his observations and reflections on the Agent era. Starting from real-life demands, he pointed out that technological innovation should not merely pursue greater speed and stronger performance, but also pay close attention to human emotions and user experience. Whether designing consumer-oriented intelligent Agents or developing next-generation companion operating systems (OS) with emotional companionship capabilities, all efforts boil down to one core question: For whom is technology ultimately created?

Yuhan Cao, an undergraduate of the Class of 2023, recounted her journey from classroom learning to entrepreneurship. Inspired by academic courses, she joined the "Zhigui Tongxing" Project and promoted the application of AI technologies in real operational scenarios of the Shanghai Metro. Her growth story illustrates the integrated value of management and technology. She believes that business students are far more than professionals who make PPTs and crunch financial figures. Instead, they ought to find positions that create tangible value at the intersection of innovation and business.

Tan Cheng, a doctoral student of the Class of 2023, shared his experience of growing alongside AI from a researcher's perspective. From deep learning algorithms during his undergraduate years to current research on large language models and recommendation systems, he has witnessed AI evolve from a mere tool into a collaborative partner. He noted that the essence lies not in AI replacing humans, but in learning to cooperate with it: distinguishing when to trust AI outputs and when to raise doubts, when to leverage AI to boost efficiency and when to adhere to human judgment.

Shengming Liu, Associate Professor of the Department of Business Administration, delivered a speech on the origin of the School's Sci-Tech Innovation Strategy and his personal research journey. As a witness and participant of the strategy, he drew on years of field research in tech enterprises and stated that genuine technological innovation is never an easy path. It requires a strong sense of purpose to stay on track, resilience to navigate industry cycles, and enduring passion to sustain long-term dedication. He encouraged young members of Fudan SoM in the era of sci-tech innovation to stay curious about the unknown, stay mindful of real-world issues, and embrace the courage to take action, so as to find their own direction amid the tides of the times.

Dean Xiongwen Lu delivered a keynote address. He noted that profound changes have taken place in the external environment in recent years. The economic landscape, industrial structure and social demands are undergoing rapid adjustments, bringing new challenges to higher education as well. "As a business school, we have been constantly reflecting on the essence and future significance of management. In my view, management is by no means outdated; on the contrary, it has become even more vital today. In an era marked by growing complexity and uncertainty, we need managerial wisdom to perceive problems, integrate resources, coordinate relationships and chart the way forward."

Against this backdrop, Dean Lu put forward two expectations for all members of Fudan SoM. First, embrace the future and take the initiative to expand your knowledge horizons. "The advent of the AI era does not render management irrelevant. Instead, it endows management with a greater mission. Going forward, we need to manage not only people but also AI, and leverage technology to improve organizational efficiency and optimize decision-making. Many major issues nowadays can no longer be interpreted or addressed by a single discipline. Therefore, you should not be confined to textbooks. Beyond management expertise, take the initiative to learn geopolitics, science and technology, culture, history and other fields. Understanding the fundamentals of technological revolution and its impacts on industrial upgrading and economic development has become a compulsory course for all of you." He stressed that AI operates through structured convergence and logical deduction. "In the AI era, what makes an unqualified learner? You need to focus on what AI cannot do: unrestrained exploration, artistic creation, emotional connection and profound spiritual thinking."

Second, dare to break through yourselves and allow yourselves to be a little "crazy" at times. "Visionaries who have changed the world, such as Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, all share one trait: they dare to break conventions and challenge existing rules. True innovation never comes from playing safe. I encourage you to think boldly and experiment bravely. Give yourselves room to explore freely -you may discover boundless potential. Do not fear failure. Wins and losses exist in competitions, gains and losses in relationships, setbacks in entrepreneurship and detours in research. None of these count as failures in life; they are precious life experiences."

He added that failure is also a kind of wealth, and every experience shapes us. Having explored a dead-end path gives you a deeper understanding than those who have never tried. Do not fixate solely on results; focus instead on whether you are growing, becoming more knowledgeable, open-minded and empathetic to others and the world.

In his final message, Dean Lu said, "I hope years later, when you look back on your days at Fudan, you will remember more than exam scores. I hope you will recall precious moments under the campus trees, on the lawns, in classrooms or library corners -memories worth revisiting and reflecting on decades from now."