At the 2026 Chongli Forum, New Oriental founder Yu Minhong shared his insights on the role of artificial intelligence in education and society. He highlighted that New Oriental is a major investor in the Taiwu Town project and warmly invited attendees to experience the vibrant, authentic charm of everyday life there. Yu also noted his involvement in the forum's establishment, expressing his belief that just as Yabuli Forum has become a key platform, the Chongli Forum will grow into another influential event for China's future.

Yu Minhong pointed out that while AI has solved humanity's problems of "tools and efficiency," it has yet to address the core issue of the "human heart." He explained that AI excels at handling "information-level" challenges by boosting efficiency and expanding human capabilities. However, critical aspects such as value judgments, final decision-making, and human compassion must remain in human hands. Using education as an example, he questioned what AI cannot change, emphasizing that while AI can deliver knowledge, it cannot craft a deeply emotional essay. He added that despite asking AI to write countless essays, none were usable because they lacked the personal emotions one must infuse into such work.

Further illustrating his point, Yu asked how AI could pull a child back from the brink of pain or depression, or provide the best comfort when a child is emotionally overwhelmed. He argued that ten thousand words from artificial intelligence would never match a single hug from a teacher or parent. Yu Minhong believes that in the AI era, education becomes even more crucial, as the growing power of AI highlights the irreplaceable nature of humans. He concluded that the goal should be to raise children to be "more human than AI," not "more AI-like."