2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference | President of the International Talent Organization Federation, Dennis Simon: Reshaping the Education System to Adapt to the AI Era

（Source: Beijing Business Today）

Beijing Business Today News (Reporter Liao Meng) On March 27, the 2026 Global Technology Innovation High-End Think Tank Forum, one of the top ten brand forums of the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference, was officially held. At the meeting, Dennis Simon, Chairman of the International Talent Organization Federation, emphasized that in the era of artificial intelligence, talent has become a core strategic asset, and open talent mobility and global cooperation are key to responding to the changes of the times.

Dennis Simon noted that the world is currently undergoing major transformations and disruption driven by the AI revolution. With rapid growth in R&D investment and the number of scientific research personnel, innovation is no longer confined to traditional regions such as Europe and the United States. Countries such as China, India, and Brazil have become important forces in global innovation.

“We were in an era where technology was dominated by capital, but now the talent that can drive innovation is the core of global competition.” Dennis Simon said. In his view, breakthroughs and implementation of almost all advanced technologies depend on a foundation of highly specialized human capital, and the importance of talent has been widely recognized by countries around the world.

Regarding the evolution of the global innovation landscape, Dennis Simon said that the global innovation landscape is shifting from polarization to diversification. Technology clusters and innovation clusters have become core carriers. Like Silicon Valley, Zhongguancun has become an important node in the global innovation network. Moreover, various clusters are no longer operating in isolation; they are moving toward integration and collaboration. With AI and digital transformation, the traditional linear innovation system has been broken. The deep integration of science, technology, and industry is taking shape, talent has begun to flow freely across disciplines, and scientists, engineers, managers, and government officials living in the same innovation community have become a distinct feature of innovation in the new era.

“The complexity of technology is gradually blurring the boundaries between disciplines, and career development is also ushering in entirely new changes. A single knowledge system can no longer meet the demands of the times. Hybrid organizations and shared laboratories have become the main carriers of innovation, and the outdated innovation model of fighting alone is completely out of date.” Dennis Simon added.

Dennis Simon believes that the globalized nature of talent is becoming increasingly prominent. Talent no longer belongs to a single country; instead, it belongs to the global talent pool. Even though there is geopolitical tension today, talent remains highly mobile. The global talent system has achieved deep integration. The cooperation partners of scientists are no longer limited to colleagues nearby, but extend to cross-disciplinary partners worldwide. Crossing borders, time zones, and policy, a global cooperation network has become the basic work unit for contemporary scientific research. Under this trend, China’s initiatives to build three major global talent centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen are a precise grasp of changes in the global talent landscape.

While affirming the new trend of global talent mobility, Dennis Simon also mentioned that the world is currently in a stage of “fragmented globalization.” Geopolitical competition has become an important obstacle to cross-border mobility of talent and knowledge. Tightened visa policies and adjustments to immigration policies in some countries make it difficult for countries to enjoy the talent dividends brought by globalization as fully as in the past. China, meanwhile, has shown an open attitude toward global talent, which is worthy of recognition.

“Openness is an asset with strategic value.” Dennis Simon warned, “If the open innovation environment disappears, the global innovation system may split, forming different innovation camps, which will become a global catastrophe.”

In addition, regarding talent cultivation in the AI era, Dennis Simon said that restructuring the education system is far more important than simply adding AI courses. The world has entered a new era where AI is everywhere. In the next 3 to 4 years, 30% to 50% of existing job tasks will be reshaped. Traditional education models, career pathways, and innovation organizations face comprehensive change. He suggested that countries should restructure their education systems to adapt to the AI era, strengthen in-depth coordination between universities and industry, and keep cross-border talent mobility smooth, using open cooperation to address global challenges such as climate change, public health, and technology ethics.

Dennis Simon further emphasized that there are three major core points for global innovation and development in the new era: first, the talent system determines a country’s innovation capability. Cross-border talent participation will still remain crucial, and maintaining openness is an inevitable choice; second, the deep integration of scientific discovery and industrial capability makes coordinated cooperation between universities and industry the key to talent development and innovation; third, the importance of global cooperation far exceeds geopolitical differences, and the threat posed by knowledge isolation is greater than that brought by national security risks.

“Facing global challenges in the era of artificial intelligence, only by upholding openness, promoting the global free flow of talent, and effectively mobilizing global talent resources, can countries take the initiative in innovation competition and help the world find a better future. And talent will always be the core answer to all of this.” Dennis Simon said.

A massive amount of information and precise interpretation—available in the Sina Finance app