German expert: AI's future is small agents, not one big system

German scientist Herzog, a winner of China's top science award, said in a recent interview that the next big leap in AI won't come from one giant model, but from many small, specialized agents working together. He explained this setup is flexible—you can add or remove agents easily, making it more effective than a single system.

Herzog also believes AI should make knowledge easier to access for everyone. Large language models have started this, but more research is needed to fully achieve it. He received China's International Science and Technology Cooperation Award in 2025.

Since 2014, Herzog has been working in China as a chief scientist at the Yangtze River Delta Smart City Innovation Center, focusing on AI and city planning, and helping strengthen China-Germany tech cooperation.