(AP Photo)
Computer programmer Fei Zhaojun’s boss asked him if artificial intelligence could soon replace humans in coding jobs. Two weeks later, he was laid off from his job in Beijing, together with about 160 of his colleagues.
It’s an increasingly common scenario as artificial intelligence, supported by government policies, reshapes China’s massive job market. Some economists believe that might eventually undermine the overall strength of the world’s second largest economy.
Rapid adoption of AI in many fields, from computer programmers to script writing and physical tasks, is pushing people out of their jobs or leaving them afraid that it might. China is at the vanguard of AI adoption as government policies encourage people and businesses to use AI applications and robotics in all aspects of life, so people like Fei are figuring out how to adapt.
“There appears to be far less anti-AI sentiment in China [than elsewhere]. Most people seem either positive, neutral, or mildly interested in AI,” said Shujing He, a Beijing-based senior analyst at advisory and research firm Plenum.
“Individuals who worry about being replaced, as well as those who have already left traditional workplaces, are often eager to experiment with AI-enabled businesses and independent ventures,” she said. “The level of interest is striking.”
The share of Chinese industrial enterprises saying they use AI models and “agents” jumped to 47.5 percent last year from 9.6 percent in 2024, according to the market intelligence firm IDC.
“China’s vibrant open-source model ecosystem fosters greater AI application innovation in industrial settings, gradually closing the gap between foundational model capabilities and real-world enterprise value creation,” said Yanze Du, an IDC senior research manager in Beijing.
Humanoid robots can now, for example, sort parcels in postal centers, although still on a small-scale basis, and are pushing the boundaries in performing more human tasks such as directing traffic and making coffee. Food delivery robots are also gaining ground across the country, potentially threatening the livelihoods of millions of Chinese food delivery workers.
A report from International Labor Organization, meanwhile, found that women face higher risks of losing employment due to use of AI than men, as they tend to work in areas more suitable for automation, such as assembling electronics, and remain underrepresented in science and technology.
Under China’s “AI Plus” initiative and its five-year plan through 2030, the government is pushing to infuse AI across many industries, aiming to gain an edge in China’s technology rivalry with the U.S.
“What is specific to China is that the government is really into diffusing AI across the economy, so AI may get into different domains more quickly comparing to other countries,” said Zilan Qian, a research associate at Oxford China Policy Lab.
China’s tech industries may be innovative with high productivity, but they may not generate many new jobs, said Eswar Prasad, a professor of economics and trade policy at Cornell University.
“AI is likely to lift productivity across the board but could have a severe disruptive effect on employment, worsening the employment growth problem and resulting in a detrimental effect on social stability,” he said.
