Artificial intelligence plays an important role in the modern world. Photo: Depositphotos
In the heart of the technological race where artificial intelligence (A.I.) is shaping the future of nations, China is winning but losing its geniuses. Behind the shiny facades of innovation lies a grim truth: the leaders of the A.I. industry are dying, unable to withstand the pressure of China’s ambitions. Is this the price of progress or a warning to the world? And how can Ukraine avoid repeating this tragedy?
The race that kills: who are the fallen pioneers?
In just a few years, China has lost at least six leading AI scientists – each of them a star in the industry, each of them at the peak of their careers. Their names are not just lines in an obituary, but symbols of an era where technology is becoming more important than human life.
- Sun Jian (45): a computer vision legend whose mind created algorithms for Megvii Technology and 35 patents. His life was cut short by a sudden illness, the details of which remain a mystery.
- Feng Yanhe (38): an architect of military A.I. systems whose simulations for the Chinese army could have changed the rules of war. He died during a “secret mission” – nothing else is known officially.
- Tang Xiaowu (55): founder of SenseTime, a company whose facial recognition technology has become the basis for global surveillance. Cause of death. “Unknown” is a typical response from the Chinese media.
- He Zhi (41 years old): Co-founder of Yidu Tech, which is transforming medicine with A.I. His death from pulmonary edema in the highlands of Qinghai raises more questions than answers.
- Quan Yuhui (39): Associate Professor, whose work on image processing was ranked in the top 2% of the world’s scientists by Stanford. His long-term illness has not been publicly identified.
These people were not just creating code – they were weaving the future. But the future seemed to demand too much from them.
China’s A.I.: a consuming ambition
China is not just developing artificial intelligence, it is living it. Since 2017, when Beijing declared A.I. a strategic priority, the country has invested more than $40 billion in the industry through 2023 alone. The answer to the US sanctions: proprietary chips, algorithms, and models like DeepSeek-V2, which are already breathing down ChatGPT‘s neck. Chinese companies such as SenseTime or Baidu are setting the tone in facial recognition, autonomous systems, and even the digitalisation of medicine.
But behind this shiny screen is a hellish rhythm. “You’re either first or nobody,” is how Professor Liu Shaoshan, one of the few people who dares to speak frankly, describes the reality. Scientists work in 996 mode (from 9am to 9pm, 6 days a week), and competition between companies is like a war. As soon as you make a breakthrough, it is already outdated. The time pressure, stress, and moral responsibility that your algorithms could become a weapon become unbearable.
“AI is not just a technology, it is a force that changes society. And this force breaks those who create it,” Liu adds.
The moral chasm: ethics versus progress
Chinese A.I. is not only about innovation, but also about ethical dilemmas. Facial recognition systems developed by Tang Xiaowu are used for mass surveillance of Uighurs in Xinjiang. Feng Yanhe’s military algorithms could become the basis for autonomous weapons. Every scientist in this field knows that their work can save lives – or destroy them.
“When you realise that your code is monitoring millions or controlling drones, it’s not just stress. It’s an existential crisis,” comments an anonymous SenseTime employee. For many scientists who dreamed of progress, reality becomes a trap: either you play by the system’s rules or you’re out of the game.
Ukrainian perspective: lessons for our A.I.
Despite the war, Ukraine remains a technology hub. Our IT specialists create AI startups, from military drones with machine vision to analytical systems for business. But the Chinese tragedy is a mirror worth looking into.
Are we ready to build an AI industry where people do not fall victim to their own ambitions? Can we avoid a burnout culture where progress is measured by results rather than lives?
The Ukrainian AI ecosystem is still young, and this is our chance. We can put people at the centre of innovation by supporting the mental health of developers, creating ethical standards for technology, and avoiding bigotry that destroys talent. The war has already taught us to value life – now it’s time to apply this lesson to technology.
The world reacts: what opinion leaders say
Toby Walsh, an Australian professor at A.I.:
“China shows us that the AI race can be deadly. If we don’t change our approach, this industry will devour its creators.”
Jennifer Doudna, Nobel laureate:
“Science has no right to kill. If we do not protect the health and lives of scientists, our breakthroughs will become toxic.”
Their words are not just comments, but a call to action. The global AI community needs to rethink how we make progress.
Final note: tragedy as opportunity
The deaths of Sun Jian, Tang Xiaowu, Feng Yanhe and their colleagues are not just a loss for China. It is a wake-up call for the world. Artificial intelligence can make us stronger, smarter, and more efficient. But if the price is the lives of its creators, is it worth it?
This is a moment of choice for Ukraine. We can go the way of a fanatical race where people are just cogs. Or we can create an AI culture where innovations do not kill but inspire. We have a chance to show the world that progress is possible without sacrifice. And this is a challenge we have no right to fail.
Author: Aleksandr Potetiuiev
