As a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation emerges globally, artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving at an accelerated pace, profoundly impacting global economic and social development as well as the advancement of human civilization. The study reveals that, unlike technological innovations of the Industrial Revolution, which primarily relied on experiments and physical models, AI development is inherently data-driven. A large population plays a crucial role in advancing AI technology, particularly by supplying abundant data resources, optimizing the cost of technology development, and accelerating the dissemination and application of innovations. As one of the world's most populous countries, China possesses unique competitive advantages in the AI sector, especially in terms of its vast data foundation, strong market demand, and diverse application scenarios. To further leverage population size as a driver of AI technology development, it is essential to enhance data infrastructure, optimize talent cultivation systems, promote the adoption and application of AI, and strengthen AI ethics and security regulations.

Using data from the 2000 and 2010 wave of Sample Survey of the Aged Population in Urban/Rural China, this paper analyzes trends and correlates of religiosity among Chinese elderly over 2000-2010 by performing period and cohort comparison and multiple logistic regression, in order to provide further evidence for aging policies in China. Results show that the proportion of elderly having religiosity declined from 15.56% in 2000 to 13.89% in 2010; and this proportion of religiosity among the elderly was decreasing in the same age group over time, and decreasing with age in the same birth cohort, which is consistent with the prediction of secularization theory. Gender, ethnicity, education, party membership/cadre status, chronic disease, self-rated filial piety, living with children, and participations in social organization have significant impact on religiosity among the Chinese elderly.