For a science-fiction writer, the future is usually something to be imagined. But for Polish author Rafał Kosik, a recent journey through Guangzhou offered a chance to experience some of it firsthand.
The author of Cyberpunk 2077: No Coincidence embarked on a "Cyber Inspiration Journey" through the southern Chinese city, exploring autonomous transportation, game development and human augmentation before taking in Guangzhou's futuristic skyline from Canton Tower.
His first encounter with the city's future came aboard an autonomous bus operated by WeRide. "I wrote about autonomous cars a long, long time ago," Kosik said. "And now it's my first time to take a ride in a real one."
The experience was both exciting and thought-provoking. Kosik said autonomous buses could offer a safer and more convenient way of getting around, and he sees them as an important part of the future of urban transportation.
He also looked beyond the technology itself. As autonomous vehicles become smaller and less expensive to operate, he suggested, they could eventually serve more locations and make mobility more accessible to people.
The next stop took Kosik into another kind of future: the world of video games.
At NetEase Games, he met with game creators to exchange ideas about storytelling and world-building. For a novelist, games represent a different creative medium, but Kosik sees plenty of opportunities for the two worlds to learn from each other. "I think that we can learn a lot from each other, writers and game creators," he said.
Their conversation also opened the door to possible future cooperation, adding another dimension to a journey centered on the exchange of creative ideas.
The journey then moved from digital worlds to a technology designed to augment the human body.
Wearing an exoskeleton robot, Kosik took on a flight of stairs, briefly experiencing what it might feel like to become a "cyber human."
Rather than seeing the technology simply as a futuristic gadget, he focused on its potential practical applications. He said exoskeletons could be useful for people with disabilities, as well as workers who need to carry heavy loads, including those working on construction sites.
He also adapted quickly to the technology. "I am up to date with such novelties," he said with a smile. "Because I write science fiction."
The final stop was Canton Tower, where Kosik reached the 488-meter observation deck and looked out across Guangzhou's sprawling skyline. "This city looks like it was taken straight out of the game Cyberpunk 2077 or from the movie Blade Runner," he said.
He pointed to Guangzhou's dense cluster of high-rises, modern technologies and colorful advertising lights as elements that together create an atmosphere familiar from cyberpunk.
Yet for Kosik, the significance of the journey went beyond seeing futuristic technologies in action. The city itself became a source of creative inspiration. "With absolute certainty, this will be inspiration for my future stories," he said.
His journey through Guangzhou ultimately became a journey between fiction and reality, from technologies once imagined in science fiction to innovations already being tested and used in a modern Chinese city.
And perhaps that is the most intriguing part of the experience for a science-fiction writer: sometimes, the future does not need to be invented; it only needs to be experienced.
(Li Muzi, Huang Xinyi, Wang Junxiang also contributed to the story)
Reporter: Li Fangwang, Dai Bosi
Video & Poster: Zeng Xiangxing
