The Audio Long Read ‘I have to do it’: why one of the world’s most brilliant AI scientists left the US for China
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Oct 17, 2025 Song-Chun Zhu's bold move from the U.S. to China unravels a narrative packed with ambition and geopolitical tension. His early life shaped his relentless drive, while dissatisfaction with mainstream AI led him to seek a deeper, philosophical approach. Zhu's concerns about data-driven methods highlight a desire for generalization and cognizance in AI. He proposes a centralized national effort for AI development, sparking discussions on global talent flows and the eroding appeal of American academia.
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Sudden Return To China
- In August 2020 Song-Chun Zhu left the U.S. after 28 years and moved to China, surprising colleagues and students.
- He accepted professorships at top Beijing universities and a directorship at a state-sponsored AI institute.
Small Data, Big Task View
- Zhu argues true intelligence requires a small-data, big-task approach with reasoning and causality.
- He believes large language models relying on big data cannot reach AGI because they lack resourceful reasoning.
Harvard Acceptance Changed Everything
- Zhu won a Harvard PhD fellowship after initially being too poor to afford application fees and later wept when recounting the acceptance.
- David Mumford recognized Zhu's broad vision and became his mentor at Harvard.
