As AI rapidly advances, the demand for skilled professionals has surged in China, especially in generative AI, large models, data centers, and humanoid robots. Competition for talent is fierce, with major companies like Xiaomi, ByteDance, and Alibaba offering annual salaries often surpassing CNY1 million (US$137,830) to recruit top AI experts for their R&D teams.
A recent report published by Career International highlights a soaring demand for AI talent across diverse sectors like finance, healthcare, education, and manufacturing. This surge is driven by the widespread adoption of generative AI technology, with particularly high demand for algorithm researchers, core technology developers, AI product experts, chief information officers, and cloud computing specialists.
The AI talent market is fiercely competitive, especially in China, where major firms such as Xiaomi, ByteDance, and Alibaba are heavily investing in global AI expertise for their R&D teams. Xiaomi recently recruited Fuli Luo, a notable AI talent with a master's in the School of Computer Science of Peking University and a strong record of international publications.
ByteDance has hired AI expert Yonghui Wu, formerly VP of DeepMind, to lead fundamental research on large models with a focus on AI for Science. Meanwhile, Alibaba has recruited Steven Hoi, ex-Salesforce VP, to spearhead its AI To Consumer efforts, planning to build a research team of over 100 for large AI model development.
Competition among large enterprises for AI talent is intensifying, leading to higher recruitment standards and salaries. Chinese recruitment platforms predict a 6.53% growth in demand for AI specialists from 2024 to 2025, with key roles experiencing increases of over 20%. High-demand positions include algorithm engineers, data scientists, and machine learning engineers, with a growing emphasis on technical expertise and practical experience.
A Hangzhou-based company announced the launch of AI projects, seeking top talent with salaries over CNY1 million. They quickly received hundreds of resumes from prestigious universities like Harvard, Peking University, and Zhejiang University, featuring AI experts.
The surge in high-paying job offers from the Hangzhou company reflects a larger trend: the rapid increase in salaries for AI-related positions. Data from Liepin indicates record highs in the AI field. For instance, DeepSeek recently listed 52 job openings on BOSS Zhipin, with roles such as deep learning researchers offering monthly salaries between CNY80,000 and CNY110,000, leading to annual earnings exceeding CNY1 million.
The humanoid robotics startup Hangzhou Unitree Robotics is hiring for high-paying roles like generative AI algorithm engineers, with some salaries topping CNY900,000 annually. According to Liepin, positions in AI algorithms frequently offer annual salaries ranging from over CNY200,000 to more than CNY500,000.
As AI technology advances, companies are seeking specialized talent, including AI product managers, operations experts, and technical support. This demand is drawing top talent to the field, with an estimated shortage of about four million AI professionals in China.
Article translated by Jingyue Hsiao and edited by Joseph Chen
