Academician Zhao Qinping proposes 'Ren-centric AI' as new paradigm, contrasting with embodied AI

Beijing, September 22 — The inaugural Immersive Consumption Carnival and the 2026 AI Terminal Innovation and Development Conference officially launched today in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA). The event also marked the start of the "2026 Made in China Promotion Week."

Wang Lei, Deputy Secretary of the BDA Working Committee and Director of the BDA Administrative Committee, stated at the event that artificial intelligence is rapidly penetrating all sectors of the real economy. He noted that the deep integration of large models and intelligent hardware is shifting industrial development from single-point technological breakthroughs to competition over terminal entry points and ecosystem architecture.

"Human-Centric Intelligence" Concept Introduced

During the conference, Zhao Qinping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and honorary chair of the Virtual Reality Industry Professional Committee under the China Computer行业协会, introduced the concept of "human-centric intelligence" (具人智能).

Zhao noted that "embodied intelligence" (具身智能) has become one of the most prominent keywords in the industry, driven by companies such as Boston Dynamics, Tesla, and domestic players like Unitree Robotics and Zhiyuan Robotics. Both academia and industry are actively advancing robots' ability to perceive, decide, and execute autonomously in the physical world. "The core logic of this direction is to give AI a body and enable robots to truly possess a brain — essentially a machine-centered path to intelligence," Zhao explained.

However, Zhao pointed out a critical issue when shifting focus from industrial workshops and professional services to everyday life: "In the next decade, large-scale and deeper AI普及 will not only be driven by robots but also by intelligent terminals that accompany people closely, opening a new, human-centered AI赛道."

He elaborated: "If 'embodied intelligence' answers how to make machines smarter at doing tasks, then 'human-centric intelligence' answers how to make intelligence better understand humans, better couple with them, and ultimately make humans more capable."

Core Principles of Human-Centric Intelligence

Zhao summarized the core内涵 of human-centric intelligence in three key points:

• Human-centered: Terminals are no longer cold tools but collaborative partners continuously guided by human intent during perception, decision-making, and action.
• Multi-form carriers: Implemented across various terminals such as AI glasses, wristbands, rings, pendants, watches, and AI phones.
• Companion-style evolution: Terminals adapt to users' preferences, habits, and physical conditions over time — "the more you use it, the better it understands you; the more you use it, the more默契 it becomes."

Industry Alignment: AI Glasses as Key Terminal

Industry perspectives align closely with this technological direction. Xiang Wenjie, co-founder of Rokid, told 21st Century Business Herald that the key barrier to mass adoption of AI glasses is not technical specifications but ensuring the product is lightweight and comfortable enough for daily wear.

"The core advantage of our current glasses is that they are light enough to wear all day," Xiang said. "Even if they only support basic functions like translation, recording, or photography, users will wear them daily because they provide tangible help."

When asked about the boundaries of AI terminal capabilities, Xiang noted that AI assistants will gradually learn users' personalities, professions, and personalized needs. "They will no longer simply and passively execute commands but will actively interact, analyze, and share with users. This is the core direction of the industry and will unlock enormous industrial value. AI glasses, as the terminal closest to users, will become the optimal entry point for interaction with these专属 AI assistants."

When Will AI Glasses Have Their "iPhone Moment"?

Xiang predicted that the "iPhone moment" for AI glasses will arrive when they can handle all tasks currently performed on smartphones. "We estimate this milestone will occur within the next three to five years — optimistically in three years, conservatively in five."

Four Development Paths for Human-Centric Intelligence

Looking ahead, Zhao Qinping outlined four main trajectories for the evolution of human-centric intelligence:

1. Diversified forms and细分 scenarios: AI terminals will no longer be dominated solely by smartphones. Instead, a multi-form matrix will emerge around visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and motion perception channels — AI glasses and pendants reshaping information acquisition; AI rings monitoring health indicators; AI wristbands accompanying exercise and sleep; AI PCs serving as intelligent productivity extensions; and AI phones continuing as personal computing hubs. The enhancement of terminal intelligence will be key, with large models increasingly migrating to terminals and lightweight models with hundreds of billions of parameters enabling independent reasoning and decision-making.

1. Natural interaction and seamless experience: Future AI terminals will move beyond reliance on screens and fingers. Voice, vision, posture, and emotion will be deeply integrated, returning interaction to human instinct. When a user gazes at an object, AI glasses will automatically recognize the scene and display information; when a user's heart rate accelerates, an AI wristband will proactively ask questions and offer suggestions; when a user raises a hand, an AI ring will enable lightweight intelligent interaction — the most profound intelligence is imperceptible.

1. Ecosystem connectivity and value multiplication: The value of a single terminal is limited, but when AI glasses, phones, PCs, and watches form a seamless collaborative ecosystem, value multiplies. Cloud-based general-purpose large models will work in tandem with on-device专属 small models. Personal data will flow securely within privacy-preserving computing frameworks, and cross-device tasks will transition seamlessly — these will be the core characteristics of the new human-centric intelligence ecosystem.

1. Technology普及 and service equalization: Human-centric intelligence must adhere to technology普及, bringing AI terminals from高端 circles into ordinary households. The elderly, children in remote areas, and people with disabilities should all benefit from the便利 of intelligence.