Yang Xizhe, a 13-year-old junior secondary school student from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, in eastern China, has drawn significant online attention for using artificial intelligence and programming to solve everyday challenges. Standing 1.9 metres tall, he has amassed a following of over 500,000 on mainland social media platforms. Growing up in a city celebrated for its vibrant technology ecosystem, he identifies as an “AI native” and believes that for his generation, AI is becoming as vital as air and water. In February last year, he gained recognition when a video demonstrating his use of AI to memorise English vocabulary attracted 20 million views.