The Manchester alumni community recently came together for an afternoon centred on one timely question: what remains uniquely human in an AI-driven world?

Bestselling author Qian Ziyan — former CFO of a US-listed electronics group and author of 36 Thinking Tools to Navigate the AI Era — led the discussion. Dr. Sherry Fu, Director of the China Centre, opened the session and guided the conversation, joined by Ms. Wen Shi, Manchester GMBA alumna and founder of Pearl Lady, who brought valuable perspectives from both business and entrepreneurship.

Qian’s message was clear: while AI brings extraordinary computational power, the human mind remains our greatest advantage. Through 36 thinking frameworks across five dimensions — wisdom, transformation, meaning, emotional connection and curiosity — he shared practical tools for staying ahead in a rapidly changing world.