In 2014, a young student from China walked the sprawling campus of Rice University in Texas, not knowing that a decade later, he would be at the center of one of the most powerful technologies of our time. Shengjia Zhao, then just an exchange student from Tsinghua University, was curious, quiet, and already asking the kinds of questions that don’t come with simple answers.Ten years on, he’s not just part of the conversation. He’s leading it.This July, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Zhao’s appointment as Chief Scientist of Meta’s Superintelligence Lab, a bold new initiative focused on building Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). But Zhao’s arrival at this moment wasn’t overnight. It was the result of a carefully built academic journey, across continents, across institutions, and across frontiers of knowledge.This is the story of how education powered the rise of the mind behind ChatGPT.
The spark at Tsinghua
Zhao’s story begins at Tsinghua University, often considered China’s most prestigious engineering school. It’s a place where academic rigor isn’t just expected: it’s the baseline. There, Zhao stood out for more than just his grades. Professors recall a student who wasn’t content with solving problems; he wanted to know why the problems existed in the first place.He dove into computer science with the intensity of someone who knew the world was on the cusp of something transformative. By the time he graduated in 2016, Zhao had already taken his first step onto the global stage, with an eye toward deeper learning and wider impact.
A semester that shifted perspective
In 2014, while still a Tsinghua undergraduate, Zhao crossed the Pacific for a semester at Rice University in Houston. It was his first sustained experience outside China, and it would leave a lasting mark.At Rice, Zhao saw a different approach to problem-solving. Lectures often spilled into lab sessions and debates; ideas were tested, challenged, and stretched. More importantly, he learned how to collaborate across cultures, disciplines, and perspectives.That semester wasn’t just about coursework, it was a preview of the kind of collaborative, global science that AI research would demand in the years ahead.
The Stanford years: Where ideas became breakthroughs
When Zhao joined Stanford University’s PhD program in Computer Science in 2016, he entered the heart of Silicon Valley’s AI revolution. But unlike those chasing start-up fame or quick funding, Zhao stayed close to what he loved: deep research.Over the next six years, he immersed himself in topics that would later become the DNA of generative AI, large-scale model training, reinforcement learning, and multi-modal systems. He was fascinated by how machines could not only process language but learn from it, reason through it, and eventually, converse like humans.He earned his PhD in 2022, not with fanfare, but with the quiet confidence of someone ready to build the next wave of intelligent systems.
ChatGPT and the OpenAI chapter
Soon after Stanford, Zhao joined OpenAI, the research company behind ChatGPT. While much of the public focus fell on OpenAI’s leadership, within the labs, Zhao was one of the lead architects behind the scenes. He contributed directly to the creation of GPT-4, and later, more agile versions like GPT-4.1 and o3.His expertise helped shape how these models learned from human feedback, processed ambiguity, and responded with nuance. If you’ve ever had a surprisingly thoughtful or helpful interaction with ChatGPT, you’ve likely experienced the ripple effects of Zhao’s work.Colleagues described him as someone who rarely spoke in absolutes but never left a problem half-solved.
A new mission at Meta
In July 2025, Zhao made headlines again, but this time, not for the model he built, but for the one he would lead.Meta’s Superintelligence Lab, announced by Zuckerberg, aims to push beyond current AI into the realm of Artificial General Intelligence, AI that can think, adapt, and reason across domains like a human. And at the helm of this scientific vision? Shengjia Zhao.He now works closely with Alexandr Wang, Meta’s Chief AI Officer and founder of Scale AI. Together, they’re assembling a world-class team of researchers to reimagine what AI can be: not just as a product, but as a form of intelligence.Zhao’s appointment wasn’t just about talent. It was about trust. Meta, like other tech giants, understands that the future of AI won’t be decided by the loudest voice in the room, but by the one who understands how to listen, learn, and lead.
What students can take away
Zhao’s story is more than a career path, it’s a blueprint.He didn’t rush success. He built it slowly, layer by layer, across some of the world’s most rigorous classrooms and labs. From Tsinghua’s discipline, to Rice’s openness, to Stanford’s depth, Zhao’s academic journey reflects a mindset that values learning as the engine of innovation.TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
