AI to drive employment restructure but not disappearance: China's technology ministry

Employment problems will inevitably arise during the development of artificial intelligence, posing challenges that every country will face and must address, said Zhang Yunming, vice minister of the ministry of industry and information technology.

Zhang noted that the technology development often comes with changes in employment structure and the iteration of job positions. However, he pointed out that restructuring does not mean disappearance, and iteration does not mean replacement. 

"This is a problem that history has shown can be addressed," said Zhang. 

He explained by citing those major technological changes, from the industrial revolution to the information technology revolution, have always raised employment concerns. However, he highlighted that these shifts ultimately led to increased productivity and the creation of new job opportunities.

Besides, the AI industry in China experienced an explosive growth last year, with the number of AI companies in mainland China surpassing 6,000, and the core industry scale last year is expected to exceed 1.2 trillion yuan (HK$1.34 trillion), said Zhang.