He was a member of the Standing Committee of the 8th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

He was reinstated as deputy director of the Revolutionary Committee of Tsinghua University in 1971, but two years later was discharged again and forced to work in the fields as well.

After Cultural Revolution, in 1977, he was appointed leader of the Sanmenxia Base Leading Group, Water Resources Department of Tsinghua University and one year later became leader of the Leading Group of Nuclear Energy Technology Research of Tsinghua University.

[1] Ai got involved in politics in August 1983, when he was chosen as deputy secretary of the State Council.

[1] In April 1985, he was promoted to become minister of radio, film and television [zh], a position he held until 1994.