A 17-year-old fashion design student from China has stunned the nation and the world by defeating artificial intelligence and students from prestigious universities like MIT, Stanford, and Princeton in a highly competitive math contest. Jiang Ping, who hails from Jiangsu Province, achieved this remarkable feat in the Alibaba Global Math Competition, where she finished 12th in the latest qualifying round, securing her spot among the 801 global finalists for the final eight-hour test.
The competition’s qualifying round, which concluded last Saturday, was a grueling 48-hour online event featuring multiple-choice and essay-length questions on applied mathematics, probability, and algebra. Notably, no AI teams qualified for the finals, a fact highlighted by the organizers on the Chinese social media platform Weixin.
Jiang’s victory has been particularly celebrated due to her humble academic background. She was the only participant from a vocational school, a type of institution not typically associated with academic rigor in China.
Her unexpected success has generated a wave of support and admiration, with a hashtag about her garnering 17 million views as of Saturday.
The hashtag, which translates to “In a life not defined by others, anyone can be a dark horse,” reflects the widespread inspiration drawn from her story.
Chinese universities and state media have been quick to praise Jiang’s achievement. Zhejiang University, one of China’s most prestigious institutions, congratulated her on Weibo, saying, “Kudos to Jiang Ping! Anyone who has a dream is amazing!”
In an interview posted by the competition organizers, which has accumulated over 4 million views, Jiang expressed her passion for advanced mathematics, stating that it “brings out my desire to explore.” Many viewers have been amazed by her results, with some questioning if her achievement was real.
The final results of the competition will be announced in August, with winners receiving up to $30,000 in prize money. Regardless of the outcome, Jiang Ping’s story serves as a powerful reminder that determination and talent can shine through, regardless of one’s background.
