I have a slightly unusual habit whenever I travel abroad for work: I always pick up a local newspaper and turn straight to the obituaries.
It’s fascinating how much this single section reveals about cultural differences.
In Hong Kong, an obituary is typically formal and concise – often dominated by an extensive list of surviving family members and lineages. In many Western papers, the focus is deeply human: quirky anecdotes, formative struggles, and life lessons. It captures a life in full color.
Lately, this habit made me wonder: What will an AI-generated “Life Stories” look like for our generation?
If an AI agent synthesizes our digital footprint – our emails, commit histories, published papers, and social feeds – will it summarize us by our titles, pedigrees, and corporate milestones? Or will it actually uncover the quiet, defining moments that made us who we are: the projects that failed, the mentorship given off the record, the late-night problem-solving?
Technology often defaults to cataloging achievements. But what makes human history worth reading isn’t the clean outcome; it’s the friction along the way.
As we build tools that summarize and automate our world, we should remember to measure what truly matters. Celebrate the messy, authentic journey – not just the curated title.
