On September 24th， according to Kuaitech， Zhou Hongyi， the founder of 360， was a guest on Luo Yonghao’s “Crossroads” video podcast.
During the interview， when discussing the integration of AI in work， Zhou Hongyi mentioned that employees are being encouraged to use AI， even if the initial results are not optimal. Persisting with its use is seen as crucial for adaptation.
The company is currently holding an AI competition. While there haven’t been large-scale layoffs due to AI adoption， employees who refuse to use AI after being instructed to do so now have grounds for dismissal.
Zhou Hongyi stated， “If I require the use of AI， and someone refuses to use it， then I have a valid reason to dismiss them.”
He further emphasized， “So， I say， ‘I’m sorry， it’s not me who is eliminating you， it’s the AI era that is eliminating you.'”
However， Zhou Hongyi also stressed， “Everyone shouldn’t waste time debating which industries or roles will be eliminated. I believe this anxiety is unproductive. Instead， you should focus on how to leverage AI to enhance your capabilities.” This perspective highlights a proactive approach， urging individuals to adapt and grow with the technological advancements rather than succumbing to fear of obsolescence. The emphasis is on skill enhancement and integration rather than resistance.
In fact， Zhou Hongyi made similar remarks in June of this year.
At that time， Zhou Hongyi publicly posted a video on social media stating， “I plan to eliminate the entire marketing department of 360， which can save the company tens of millions of yuan annually.” This statement， though seemingly radical， underscored his belief in the transformative power of AI and the potential for significant operational efficiencies.
He added， “It might sound like a fantasy， but this time I’m serious. Starting today， I’m going to undertake a challenge: I will single-handedly organize a complete new product launch event – testing the company’s upcoming Nano AI Super Search intelligent agent set to be released on June 11th.” This personal endeavor demonstrated his commitment to proving the capabilities of AI-driven solutions and his willingness to lead by example.
