Song-Chun Zhu, a renowned artificial intelligence scientist, left the United States for China in August 2020 after spending 28 years in the US. He had a illustrious career at Harvard and UCLA, leading one of the most prolific AI research centers in the world and securing prestigious grants from the Pentagon and National Science Foundation.
Zhu's decision to leave the US was driven by philosophical differences with the dominant AI paradigm in the country. He disagreed with the focus on large language models (LLMs) and their potential to achieve artificial general intelligence (AGI). Instead, he advocates for a "small data, big task" approach, emphasizing causal understanding, social and physical intuition, and resourcefulness.
The US research environment also played a role in Zhu's decision. He felt constrained by the emphasis on incremental gains over fundamental research. In contrast, China offered him the resources and freedom to pursue his vision of AI. Personal factors, including his younger daughter's figure skating career, may have also influenced his decision.
Zhu's departure from the US may signal a shift in AI leadership, with implications for talent retention and innovation. His work in China could lead to the development of alternative AI approaches, potentially diverging from the dominant US paradigm. As Zhu takes on a key role in China's AI policy and research direction, his influence may shape the country's AI strategy and impact the global AI landscape.
The implications of Zhu's move are significant, and his work in China will likely be closely watched by the global AI community. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, it's clear that Zhu's contributions will play a major role in shaping the future of artificial intelligence.
