Embracing the Generative AI Era: Prof. Maiga Chang Shares Insights on Essential ‘Passive Skills’ at EdUHK
On 3 June 2026, Professor Maiga Chang, Associate Dean (Research & Innovation) and Full Professor at the Faculty of Science and Technology, Athabasca University, Canada, delivered an engaging and forward-looking lecture titled “New 21st Century PASV (Passive) Skills Required in the Generative AI’s Era.” The event was moderated by Dr. Sun Daner, Associate Professor of MIT at EdUHK.
Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini have rapidly gained global popularity. In his talk, Prof. Chang explained in an accessible way how generative AI models like GPT work, what they can and cannot do, and the important limitations that users should be aware of.
Drawing an analogy from game design, Prof. Chang introduced the concept of passive skills — abilities that are always active and provide continuous support or advantage. He proposed four such passive skills that he believes everyone living in the generative AI era should develop. These skills help individuals better collaborate with AI, think critically about AI-generated content, and remain effective learners and workers in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
The lecture attracted a diverse audience of students and academics. Notably, Prof. Hu Xiangen, a renowned artificial intelligence expert from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, joined the session as a distinguished guest. Prof. Hu actively participated in the discussion and shared his own insights on the future and recent advances in artificial intelligence, enriching the dialogue with his expertise.
The event was well received, with attendees praising Prof. Chang’s ability to present complex ideas in an understandable and inspiring manner. The active engagement of Prof. Hu further highlighted the growing importance of cross-institutional collaboration in AI education and research.
