During the booming period of the global AI hardware market, the star startup Plaud has experienced a key executive change.

On March 24, it was reported that Plaud AI product research and development head and China CEO Mo Zihao has officially left the company. According to insiders, this leader with a strong background in large models and hardware may next embark on an entrepreneurial journey in the AI hardware field.

From "Public Welfare Star" to "AI Hunter": Mo Zihao's Cross-Industry Career

Mo Zihao's career is filled with the essence of "efficiency" and "intelligence."

Educational Background: He graduated from the School of Management at Sun Yat-sen University, and later obtained a Master's degree in Finance from the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University.

Early Entrepreneurship: During university, he founded the first online public welfare platform in China, "Mi Gongyi," which solved the pain points of public welfare projects through interactive fun, becoming a landmark entrepreneurial case at the time.

Hardcore Advancement: Before joining Plaud, he served as a partner and CPO at Nuawa Technology, exploring automation for sales agents; subsequently joined one of the "Six Little Dragons" in AI, Baichuan Intelligence, responsible for the practical application of medical large models.

Plaud's Journey in China: Challenges and Opportunities

In May 2025, Mo Zihao officially joined Plaud. At that time, Plaud had already achieved great success in overseas markets, with cumulative sales exceeding one million units and an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of $250 million.

During his tenure, Mo Zihao was fully responsible for the research and development of large models in global markets, team building in the China region, and user growth. Although Plaud officially re-entered the Chinese mainland market in September 2025, the AI voice recorder market in China had become a red ocean, with major players such as DingTalk, Mobvoi, and Anker all entering the arena. How to build a deeper moat beyond the tool attributes of the "AI Minutes" became a subsequent challenge for Plaud's China team.

The New Wave of "Resignation and Entrepreneurship" in the Pre-Burst of AI Hardware

Mo Zihao's resignation is not an isolated case; it reflects the current AI hardware/Agent sector being on the verge of a breakthrough.

With the hardware practical experience accumulated at Plaud, as well as the vertical landing background of large models at Baichuan Intelligence, Mo Zihao's new project is likely to focus on AI hardware tools for "workflow intelligence."

As large models move from the cloud into hardware, the next generation of intelligent terminals that can "listen, see, and handle tasks" are accelerating to emerge. Mo Zihao's next entrepreneurial move undoubtedly adds more variables to the AI hardware sector in 2026.