Xin Lang Cai Jing·2026-01-24 03:08Core Viewpoint - The founder of New Oriental, Yu Minhong, emphasizes the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to provide personalized education services to rural students in China, aiming to bridge the educational gap between urban and rural areas [1][3][5] Group 1: Current Educational Reach - New Oriental currently reaches over 500,000 rural students annually, providing them with courses, learning resources, and support [1][5] Group 2: Educational Inequality - There are two significant inequalities in Chinese education: the disparity between urban and rural education, and the inequality within the same region, such as in Beijing, where even the most developed areas have schools that resemble rural institutions [3][5] - The advent of the internet has not effectively addressed these educational disparities, as the proliferation of online platforms has not significantly reduced the gap between rural and urban education [3][5] Group 3: AI's Role in Education - Yu Minhong expresses uncertainty about the extent to which AI can transform New Oriental's business model or lead to significant growth, but he believes that if AI can help align the educational levels of rural children with those in cities, it would be a monumental achievement [3][5] - The upcoming wave of AI presents an opportunity to tackle the existing educational inequalities, which is a topic of serious consideration for New Oriental's technology team [3][5] Group 4: Call for Collaboration - Yu Minhong invites AI experts and young entrepreneurs interested in rural education to collaborate with New Oriental, emphasizing a non-profit approach to ensure that every rural child can access relevant educational services [3][5] - The company is open to forming a dedicated fund or initiative to explore how AI can effectively assist rural primary and secondary education, despite acknowledging limitations in developing large-scale AI models [3][5]