Professor Andrew Chi-Chih Yao stands as a preeminent figure in theoretical computer science and a transformative leader in China's academic landscape. He currently serves as Dean of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences and Dean of the newly established College of AI at Tsinghua University, positions that underscore his profound influence on China's technological development. Born in Shanghai in 1946, Yao completed his undergraduate studies in physics at National Taiwan University before earning his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Harvard University in 1972 under Nobel laureate Sheldon Glashow. Demonstrating remarkable intellectual versatility, he subsequently obtained a second Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1975, completing his dissertation in just two years.
Yao's theoretical contributions have fundamentally reshaped computational theory, beginning with his 1977 establishment of Yao's minimax principle, which provided the foundation for analyzing randomized algorithms through von Neumann's minimax theorem. His 1979 introduction of communication complexity created an entirely new field of study, measuring computational difficulty through communication load between cooperating parties and establishing theoretical frameworks that underpin modern circuit complexity, parallel computing, and distributed systems. His innovative work in cryptography, particularly his 1982 application of computational entropy to Shannon's communication theory, revolutionized security protocol development and established methods for testing pseudo-random number generation that remain essential to cryptographic systems today. These groundbreaking contributions earned him the ACM A.M. Turing Award in 2000, making him the first Chinese scientist to receive computer science's highest honor.
Beyond his theoretical work, Yao has profoundly shaped China's technological ecosystem through strategic educational initiatives and institution building. Since joining Tsinghua University in 2004, he founded the elite undergraduate 'Yao Class' in 2005 and the 'Zhi Class' AI program in 2019, both widely regarded as world-leading educational models that have cultivated generations of top computer scientists. His students have founded billion-dollar AI companies including Megvii and Pony.ai, while others now hold prestigious positions at institutions like Stanford and Princeton. In recent years, Yao has established multiple AI research institutes across China and emerged as a leading voice in AI safety discussions, warning of potential catastrophic risks from future autonomous systems. His 2024 appointment as head of Tsinghua's College of AI and recognition by President Xi Jinping reflect his enduring influence on China's technological trajectory and his commitment to advancing both theoretical foundations and practical applications of artificial intelligence.
