tech

China's five-year plan targets AI's impact on jobs

China has spent two years telling the world it intends to win the AI race. Its new five-year employment plan is the quieter admission that winning it could cost a lot of people their jobs.

China's five-year plan targets AI's impact on jobs

TL;DR

  • China's 2026-2030 employment plan includes a mandate to monitor AI's impact on jobs.
  • The government aims to establish an early-warning mechanism for job risks associated with AI.
  • China's large workforce makes unemployment a significant political concern for the Communist Party.
  • The plan involves using unconventional data sources like electricity use and mobile payments to track labor market changes.
  • It also supports the creation of new AI-related jobs and human-machine collaboration roles.
  • Platform companies will face new regulations regarding algorithm transparency and timely wage payments.