In a notable interview with Zhao Boqi, the General Manager of Dou Shen Education Technology Co., Ltd., insights emerged regarding the company's remarkable turnaround over the past year. Dou Shen has not only transitioned from losses to profitability but has also demonstrated a rapidly improving capability for generating earnings. A significant component of this transformation hinges on the strategic integration of artificial intelligence (AI) as a cornerstone for optimizing both product structure and business expansion.

Delving deeper into Dou Shen Education's ethos, the company has long-standing ties to language and literature education, coupled with a strong commitment to quality education that emphasizes personalized learning experiences for consumers. This dedication to individualized instruction is especially pertinent as the educational landscape evolves. A substantial part of Dou Shen’s resurgence can be attributed to their adept utilization of technological advancements, paired with thoughtful deployment of both software and hardware tools, along with diversification into multiple disciplines. These efforts have catalyzed the development of an AI-infused educational ecosystem that spans both online and offline environments, revealing significant growth potential and competitive prowess in a market that has lost some of its buoyancy in recent years.

Zhao Boqi shared pivotal news regarding Dou Shen’s financial restructuring, successfully navigating a substantial debt crisis as of December 2023. This restructuring was marked by the innovative acquisition of nearly 1.1 billion yuan in investment, which played a critical role in alleviating over 2.6 billion yuan of debt responsibilities while safeguarding the rights of roughly 40,000 shareholders as well as numerous creditors. Following the restructuring, the company showcased startling resilience, evidenced by a revitalized business trajectory that saw Dou Shen return to a profitable state within a mere nine months. Not only did it emerge successfully from its challenges, but it also gleaned important lessons that may serve as a guiding framework for other educational entities grappling with similar predicaments.

On the operational front, Dou Shen Education has been diligent in forging strategic partnerships that capitalize on technological synergies. Particularly noteworthy is the collaboration with Microsoft, through which Dou Shen harnesses the capabilities of Microsoft's GraphRAG technology. This partnership has dramatically accelerated the company’s efforts to develop and fine-tune knowledge graphs. The results of this collaboration were evident in the creation of the fifth-generation curriculum content generation system— the Jiuxiao Content Production Platform. This groundbreaking development has slashed the cost of delivering a single class from an exorbitant 2,600 yuan to less than 4 yuan, presenting a transformative leap in educational economics.

In light of ongoing advancements, in October 2024, Dou Shen announced a strategic collaboration with Beijing Zhipu Huazhang Technology Co., Ltd. The agreement, which hinges on a pivotal investment of 125 million yuan from Zhipu, is poised to expedite the establishment of an innovative educational ecosystem. This initiative further aims to implement Zhipu’s cutting-edge AI and large model technologies in essential areas, such as constructing knowledge graphs and accurately identifying teaching targets. The dual forces of collaboration and technology are anticipated to amplify the intelligence quotient of Dou Shen’s AI applications.

Moreover, product innovation remains at the forefront of Dou Shen’s operational strategy. In November 2024, the company unveiled its self-developed integrated end-model education product known as Dou Shen AI. This offering exemplifies the fusion of state-of-the-art AI technologies and a rich repository of educational resources, yielding a tailored and intelligent learning experience for users. Not surprisingly, this product has witnessed a rapid surge in user adoption, with membership numbers breaking the 50,000 threshold within a short span.

Complementing these technological breakthroughs, Dou Shen has thoroughly engineered an integrated product ecosystem that marries hardware with software. The company has strategically developed a comprehensive hardware product lineup that caters to various educational needs, ranging from entry-level to high-end solutions. Among their diverse offerings, AI-driven toys like “Xiao Dou,” gadgets equipped with screens and cameras, and innovative humanoid robot products reflect a systematic approach to hardware ecosystem development.

As the anniversary of its bankruptcy reorganization approaches, Dou Shen Education’s operational activities have fully revived, revealing a robust upward trajectory. The management team is actively executing plans outlined in their restructuring framework, concentrating efforts on the core domain of “AI + Education” to ensure a successful transformation. The company’s financial reporting for the third quarter of 2024 highlights an exceptional turnaround, boasting a net profit of 111 million yuan—an astronomical increase of 209.82% year over year. Furthermore, total revenue for the third quarter reached 227 million yuan, marking a year-on-year rise of 28.93%, thus reinforcing the viability of its recovery strategy.

As Dou Shen Education marks one year post-reorganization, the broader enabling policies for the educational sector underscore a favorable climate for growth. Notably, on November 18, 2024, regulations aimed at the comprehensive integration of artificial intelligence into primary and secondary education were clarified, with aspirational targets for coverage by 2030. Additionally, projections by the China Education Research Institute suggest that by 2025, the smart education market in China is poised to exceed 900 billion yuan, demonstrating a remarkable compound annual growth rate of 21%. This burgeoning market presents extensive avenues for expansion and opportunities not just for Dou Shen Education, but for other AI-focused educational enterprises as well.

Reflecting on their extensive history in the education and training sector, Zhao Boqi emphasized Dou Shen's commitment to evolving its core services. Initially rooted in the “Big Language” domain, the company has cultivated a solid professional foundation that is gradually redefining its identity toward “lightweight course assisting.” By 2025, Dou Shen aims to leverage “live broadcasting + AI” products to elevate their service offerings beyond “AI + Language Literature,” and into a more versatile “AI + Multicategory” model. This transition is structured to enable comprehensive skill development across students, potentially infiltrating various educational services and contexts.