Huawei's Ren Zhengfei on AI's Practical Future: "Teaching According to Individual Aptitude"

In an unprecedented gathering at Huawei's Lianqiu Lake Campus, company founder Ren Zhengfei engaged in a wide-ranging discussion with programming competition winners, coaches, and academic leaders from around the world. The conversation, captured in official minutes from the November 14, 2025 meeting, revealed Ren's pragmatic approach to artificial intelligence and his perspective on developing global talent in an era of rapid technological change.

AI as Practical Industry Tool

Ren positioned Huawei's AI research not toward abstract intelligence but toward solving concrete industrial challenges. "At Huawei, we focus on the next 3 to 5 years, researching foundation models, big data, and massive computing power, and exploring how to apply them in industries, agriculture, and the tech sector," he explained.

The founder highlighted several practical applications already in deployment:

  • Iron and Steel Production: AI models optimizing blast furnace temperature control, fuel blending, and predicting silicon content in molten iron, increasing efficiency by 1%
  • Coal Mining: Unmanned operations 500-700 meters underground with real-time video stitching and predictive safety systems for gas explosions and structural collapses
  • Port Operations: Fully autonomous container handling at Tianjin Port and the Port of Chancay in Peru
  • Healthcare: Pathology models assisting cancer diagnosis at Shanghai's Ruijin Hospital and ophthalmic AI enabling remote diagnosis in underserved areas

"These are the types of things we focus on," Ren noted. "Using AI models to solve issues in real-world production and consumption scenarios."

Education and the Democratization of Knowledge

When addressing educational disparities, Ren emphasized how technology is transforming learning accessibility. "In the past, to become top talent, we had to enroll in prestigious universities and take face-to-face classes with lecturers standing in front of us on a podium," he observed. "Now, many world-renowned universities offer courses online, meaning students in remote villages can take these courses."

The founder pointed to how networks are creating "limitless possibilities for education, driving a shift from centralized learning in physical schools to decentralized learning online." He cited examples of remote medical diagnostics enabled by 5G networks, such as ultrasound scans from Xizang's pastoral areas being analyzed 3,000 kilometers away in Shenzhen.

Nurturing Talent: Different Paths, Equal Value

Ren offered nuanced perspectives on talent development, rejecting a one-size-fits-all approach. "Everyone follows a unique path in life," he stated. "Some aim high, and some take on entry-level roles, but everyone contributes to society."

He highlighted how Huawei has recruited over 3,000 bachelor graduates from universities in remote regions, cultivating them into chip manufacturing and precision manufacturing workers after three years. "In the future, the term 'workers' will have new meanings," Ren explained.

The founder encouraged young people with potential to "aim high" but also emphasized that "teaching according to individual aptitude, which is an essential educational approach." He illustrated this with the metaphor: "When you can no longer climb higher, you can descend from your 'Himalayas,' 'lay eggs along the way,' and come down to 'farm and raise cattle and pigs'… You will still be a hero."

The Future of AI: Pragmatic vs. Theoretical Approaches

Ren drew a distinction between different approaches to AI development, particularly between the United States and China. "The US is exploring AGI and Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), solving issues like what it means to be human and what the future of human society will look like," he observed. "In contrast, China is studying the adoption of AI in real-world scenarios, aiming to create more value and drive growth."

Regarding computing resources, Ren predicted "a compute surplus, rather than a shortage as many have imagined," suggesting that building "hundreds and even thousands of AI models" is the right direction for exploration. However, he cautioned against conflating science and technology: "Huawei talked about Ascend 950, 960, and 970 when explaining the SuperPoD. But how many 970 chips will be needed and where can they be used? How many SuperPoDs will be needed? How will clusters be interconnected?"

Quantum Computing and Future Horizons

When asked about quantum computing, Ren acknowledged its inevitability while maintaining focus on present challenges: "Breakthroughs in quantum science are inevitable. It's just a matter of time that quantum computers become a reality, bringing significant advantages for specific types of computation."

However, he emphasized that quantum research isn't Huawei's current priority: "Quantum research isn't something that Huawei's prepared to take on. But if quantum computers become a reality, we may consider buying them."

Global Collaboration and Cultural Exchange

Throughout the discussion, Ren emphasized the importance of international collaboration and cultural exchange. "We engage with friends from around the world, and connect with young people like you through ideas," he stated. "It's all about making friends and getting to know one another."

He contrasted Huawei's current situation with China's historical approach to technology adoption: "Before the reform and opening-up, our country was isolated from the rest of the world. Then, we began adopting many of the great achievements of other countries. This did not create a clash with our own civilization. Instead, their achievements led to huge amounts of innovation in China, and our economy experienced explosive growth."

Closing Thoughts

As the discussion concluded, ICPC Foundation President Veronika Soboleva expressed appreciation for Ren's perspective, particularly "his talk of the mingling of civilizations, which is something that we hold on very closely in the ICPC. We are a big family."

Ren's vision emerges as one of pragmatic innovation—applying AI to solve real-world problems while maintaining respect for theoretical research and diverse talent development pathways. In his view, the future doesn't belong to any single approach or nation but to those who can effectively bridge theory and practice, East and West, established institutions and emerging innovators.

The founder's closing message to the young programmers, researchers, and educators gathered at the campus was one of cautious optimism: "We can see how AI will boost productivity in 3 to 5 years. But I don't know what will happen in 5 to 10 or 10 to 20 years, or even in 20 years or beyond. AI is developing too rapidly, so I don't know where we will be heading in the future."

Yet despite this uncertainty, Ren expressed confidence in the next generation's ability to navigate these challenges: "The hope for the future lies in the youth, who will take on the responsibility of revitalizing society."

Source: Minutes of Mr. Ren Zhengfei's Meeting with ICPC Foundation President, Coaches, and Contest Winners, November 14, 2025. Full transcript available at https://cence.comp.nus.edu.sg/cence/icpc_minutes_2025.html