Ideal CEO Li: A Look Back at 2006 and a Glimpse into the Future of AI-Driven Innovation

In a recent interview with CCTV's "Dialogue" program, ideal CEO Li reflected on his journey from being one of the pioneers in China's online gaming industry to launching a decade-old company, ideal automobile, which is set to make its mark with the upcoming pure electric SUV, i8.

Li outlined his reasons for shifting focus from incremental upgrade vehicles to pure electric cars, sharing insights into the 5C charging stations and emphasized his commitment to revolutionizing artificial intelligence hardware. He stated that future development will concentrate on creating radical AI hardware products comparable in impact to iPhones.

A Summary of Li's Key Statements:

1. On Losing Temperament: Li acknowledged having lost temper at CCTV's Dialogue program 19 years ago, when the network edited out the context for a segment discussing 'listen and lecture'. He expressed his concern about team members questioning company values while adding that he has had to suppress thoughts when confronted with logical flaws or uninspired ideas. The environment could spark fierce debates, especially during product launches.

2. Interactions with Fellow Entrepreneurs: Li shared interactions with fellow entrepreneurs such as Pengbin of Extreme Flying Technology and Wanghao of Chery's Jialing Car. He highlighted the dedication of his counterparts, particularly Pengbin who has remained focused on agriculture drone technology for 18 years, and Wanghao who effectively commercialized personalized humanoid robots through northern big data.

3. Dinner Conversations with Rivals: Li recalled sharing candid discussions at dinner while debating rivals. Despite differing viewpoints, they remained open to their perspectives.

4. Principles of Entrepreneurship Innovation: On the nature of entrepreneurship: Li believes it is not about hard work or pushing through long hours alone; creativity also needs effective time distribution, and he has implemented a system known as “631原则,” emphasizing organization construction and prioritizing employee training and communication while maintaining innovation momentum.

5. Designing Products with User Experiences in Mind: Speaking on the topic of aesthetics vs. functionality in product design, Li drew from the experience of MEGA's launch. Despite the challenges it faced, the vehicle managed to find success a year after its release, due largely to its user-centric design.

6. Converting Criticism into Success: Discussing why he opted for all-electric technology early on: Li revealed initial projections that encouraged investment but also some rejections from new investors based on their expectations. However, his 5C electric vehicle fleet has effectively mitigated the range anxiety associated with pure electric cars by utilizing an extensive charging network.

7. Aiming to Revolutionize Hardware Industry: Li emphasized a key aspect of innovation: developing cutting-edge AI hardware products and hinted at moving ideal automobile as it embarks on a final journey, beyond conventional automotive limits into a space machine technology landscape.