Zhang Chaoyang: Real Connection Still Wins Over AI
In a recent media interview, Zhang Chaoyang, founder and CEO of Sohu, made a bold point: no matter how smart AI gets, it will never replace the value of face-to-face human interaction or content born from real experience. He stressed that getting information online is one thing, but truly communicating with another person is something else entirely—and right now, AI simply can’t fill that gap.
“In this vast ocean of information, people need to step out and talk to each other more than ever,” he said. According to Zhang, the more we rely on AI for connection, the more precious genuine, in-person moments become.
When asked about the anxiety many content creators feel around AI, he offered a down-to-earth analogy: “What AI produces these days gives media and content a plastic feel. It’s like tomatoes grown with chemical fertilizers—they look shiny and perfect, but when you bite into them, there’s no taste at all. A carrot with a little dirt on it? It might not look as pretty, but it’s full of flavor and worth eating.”
His words hit home for anyone worried about being replaced by algorithms: authenticity has a texture, and that texture is something no machine can fake.
