Plans unveiled at the opening of parliament’s annual session last week go all-in on AI, detailing ambitions to offset an ageing workforce and long-term economic slowdown through the technology’s “job-creation” effect over the next five years.
“For now, advancing AI adoption and capability appears to be a higher policy priority than pre-emptively addressing potential job displacement,” said Shujing He, Senior Analyst at consultancy Plenum. The emphasis on the positive and job-creating potential of AI leaves policymakers room to respond if more disruptive labour market effects become evident, however, she added. The remarks follow Saturday’s comments by Human Resources Minister Wang Xiaoping that China was working to “actively leverage” AI in creating jobs and expanding employment opportunities for 12.7 million university graduates this year.
–Reuters–
