“Always learn from the people and tackle the most challenging problems” — Chen Kai’s address at the University of Science and Technology of China’s Class of 2026 graduation ceremony.

On June 24, the University of Science and Technology of China held a grand ceremony marking the Class of 2026’s graduation and the conferral of degrees. Chen Kai, founder of Deep Wisdom, was invited to attend as a distinguished alumni representative. , offering words of encouragement to the graduating class as they embark on their next chapter.

Chen Kai is an alumnus of the Class of 2007 in the Automation program at the University of Science and Technology of China. From a student in the Young Talents Program to an entrepreneur in the field of artificial intelligence, Chen Kai completed his doctoral studies at USTC and subsequently gained experience through industry–research collaboration at Microsoft Research Asia and teaching practice at Zhongguancun Academy. In 2025, together with my university roommate, Zhang Yibo—also a graduate of the Department of Applied Physics at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology—I co-founded Deep Wit. The company has adopted “human learning” as its core, original technological roadmap, focusing on the independent research and development of physics‑AI foundation models. Within just one year of its founding, it has achieved end‑to‑end technical implementation—spanning data collection, model architecture, hardware design, and real‑world application deployment—pioneering the future of physics‑AI through robust technological innovation. In his address, Chen Kai reflected on his years of study at the University of Science and Technology of China and shared his personal journey from scientific research to entrepreneurship. Drawing on his fifteen years of exploration in the field of artificial intelligence, he… Drawing on the school motto—“Advancing both political integrity and professional expertise, integrating theory with practice”—and the spirit of the school anthem’s refrain, “Always learn from the people,” the address illuminated the mission and choices facing the younger generation in an era of technological transformation.

The following is the full text of Chen Kai’s address.

Distinguished leaders, esteemed teachers, dear parents, and beloved junior students:

Good morning, everyone!

First of all, I would like to extend my warmest and most heartfelt congratulations to all of you—our energetic junior students—on this day! Congratulations on successfully completing your studies and stepping into this exceptionally radiant chapter of your lives!

I am Chen Kai, an alumnus of the Automation major, class of 2007. At USTC, I have held three student IDs: PB0700, SA1123, and BA1323. Today, to return to this profoundly familiar campus as a representative of the alumni and to stand on this solemn podium fills me with deep emotion and profound reverence.

Looking at you all—energetic, full of ambition, and with eyes that shine with determination—I feel as though I’ve been transported back to the summer of 2011. That year, I graduated from my undergraduate program and, just like you today, sat in the audience, listening to the words of encouragement from Brother Hu Weiwu, the founder of Loongson. His heartfelt conviction—that “to serve the country through science and technology, who else but me?”—kindled a spark within me. Time has flown; fifteen years have passed, and that spark has accompanied me every step of the way: from completing my Ph.D. at USTC, to integrating research and industry at Microsoft Research Asia, to teaching and mentoring at Zhongguancun Academy in Beijing, and finally to founding DeepBrain Intelligence, where I’m tackling the cutting edge of embodied general intelligence. Today, for me, is also a special day: it marks exactly ten years since I earned my doctorate from USTC. Over the past nineteen years, my identity as a USTC alumnus has come to define more than half of my life. As I wrote in the acknowledgments of my dissertation, “Forever a Keda alumnus” is the guiding principle of my life. To me, my alma mater is both a spiritual home and a beacon that lights the way forward. Here, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my alma mater for its rigorous and pragmatic academic ethos, and to each and every one of my esteemed teachers who have devoted themselves to teaching and guiding me.

At the same time, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincerest gratitude to the HKUST alumni who have offered me selfless support and assistance along the way. Over the past decade and more, whether in tackling formidable challenges on the path of scientific research or navigating the turbulent waters of entrepreneurship, you have always been my strongest source of backing. “Keda people” is not merely a label; it is a deep bond that transcends grades and industries. This mutually empowering, supportive alumni network is an invaluable asset as we step beyond the campus.

Fellow juniors and seniors, there’s a saying that’s been circulating: “Only those who are willing to risk everything dare to attend USTC.” I’m sure each of you here has earned this degree after countless days and nights spent poring over books in the library and pulling all‑nighters in the lab, wrestling with data until the early hours. There’s no doubt you are among China’s very finest young talents—truly the brightest stars of your generation. Today, what I want to say to all of you is: Born on the cusp of the full-scale emergence of artificial general intelligence, your capabilities are being amplified by this era at an exponential rate.

Since entering the AI field in 2010, I have witnessed the full evolution of artificial intelligence—from “specialized models” to “general-purpose models”—watching it progress from relying on human‑imposed “prior knowledge” to a stage where astonishing intelligence can emerge solely from vast amounts of facts and data. The pace of technological advancement is truly breathtaking. For this very reason, those of you here today may find yourselves facing a situation unprecedented in human history: having received a solid, rigorous, and comprehensive education at USTC, and now equipped with an AI system so powerful it borders on the unimaginable—as your “external brain” and indispensable tool—your generation may well be the smartest in the entire history of human civilization.

This is the ultimate good fortune that belongs to you. In the past, a world‑class scientist might have had to devote their entire life to deriving an equation or discovering a new material; today, you stand on the shoulders of a knowledge base accumulated over millennia by all of humanity. Artificial intelligence will profoundly reshape every industry, every discipline, and the very way each of us lives.

Fellow juniors, the flip side of this extraordinary good fortune is the profound responsibility entrusted to us by our times.

When we possess an unprecedented level of “intelligence and ingenuity” in human history, what should we do with it? Should we use it to automatically churn out a few inconsequential, low‑impact papers? Or turn it into a traffic‑harvesting machine on the internet? Neither! As graduates nurtured by USTC, we must… Confronting the most intractable and profound challenges facing human society We must do everything we can to address the challenges facing the world today.

This brings us back to the indelible mark etched deep in the soul of every member of USTC—our university motto: “Advancing in both red and professional expertise, integrating theory with practice” In this era of profound technological transformation, these eight characters have taken on an exceptionally grand and concrete real-world significance.

What is “red”? “Red” embodies the sense of mission that defines us as members of USTC. Our vision must not be confined to immediate gains and losses; we must always orient ourselves toward the strategic needs of the nation and the well-being and development of all humanity.

What is “specialization”? “Specialization” means fearlessly tackling daunting challenges to develop cutting-edge technologies that others dare not pursue or cannot deliver, to pioneer the most difficult innovations, and to take on the toughest problems.

What is “integration of theory and practice”? That means we must never remain confined to the ivory tower of theoretical speculation; we have to bring cutting-edge knowledge into direct dialogue with the real world.

Everyone at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology is familiar with the university anthem, “Eternal East Wind,” and surely knows this lyric by heart: “Always learn from the people” Back then, when we sang it, we felt an overwhelming passion and the weight of history; yet today, standing at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence and looking back at those lyrics, I am profoundly struck to find that they perfectly echo the very logic guiding contemporary AI development. Our alma mater’s anthem harbors a wisdom that transcends its time.

Large language models are able to unleash astonishing intelligence precisely because they have read, without bias, the vast amounts of data available on the internet and have learned from the collective wisdom accumulated by humanity over thousands of years. At the same time, these models must not only be intelligent but also uphold sound values and maintain a principled stance, ensuring that this powerful force ultimately serves to benefit people and advance the common good of humankind.

It can be said that the cutting-edge ideas and logic of large models have long been deeply embedded in our university anthem! This lyric is far more than just a principle governing the evolution of machines—it is also a spiritual compass for every member of USTC. No matter how far we may go in the future or how powerful the technologies we master, we must always… We must always learn from society and from the people, never becoming complacent or self‑imprisoned; moreover, we must steadfastly uphold sound values, ensuring that our wisdom and talents are ultimately harnessed to benefit society and serve the nation. 。

Fellow juniors, the mighty wheel of our times is rumbling forward. Armed with the solid foundation that USTC has bestowed upon you, you are about to set out into the vast open road of life.

As your senior fellow student, I sincerely hope that you: Uphold the pride of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and shoulder the responsibilities of our times. Do not fear those towering peaks that seem insurmountable, nor squander your talents within the complacent confines of mediocrity. Venture beyond disciplinary boundaries, explore uncharted frontiers, and, with your AI‑enhanced, the smartest minds in human history, strive to solve as many of the world’s problems as possible.

Among the heroes of their time, let us see who stands out today. May you always cherish the pure, childlike heart of “always learning from the people,” uphold the conviction of “advancing both political integrity and professional expertise, and integrating theory with practice,” and write a magnificent chapter that does justice to yourselves, to USTC, to our nation, and to our times!

Wishing you all a happy graduation and a bright future! Thank you!