AI-related skills prove to be hot commodity

Staff at Zhejiang Hengdong Intelligence Technology Co Ltd assemble newly produced robots on Nov 10 in the city of Jinhua, Zhejiang province. ZOU HONG/CHINA DAILY

As all sectors in China prepare for "smart" transformation due to rapidly developing AI technology, market demand for AI-related talent continues to grow, with recruitment priorities shifting from AI research and development to practical and commercialized applications of the technology.

China's recruitment portal Zhaopin recently released a report on the market's recruitment trends for AI-related talent, stating that in the third quarter of this year, the number of job openings in the AI sector increased by 11 percent year-on-year, while job seekers for these positions grew by 23 percent year-on-year on the platform.

In the first nine months of this year, AI-related job openings grew by 3 percent, and job seekers applying for AI-related positions increased by 39 percent, the report said.

It noted that most AI-related job openings in the first three quarters focused on algorithms, big data, and product development. This reflects Chinese employers' balanced and comprehensive business plans, emphasizing not only AI technology development but also the commercialization of the technology and AI products.

AI technology is highly sought after in various industries, including communications, finance, education and healthcare. Job openings for positions such as front-end engineer, test engineer and AI product manager have increased in the first three quarters, according to Zhaopin.

The report highlighted regional differences in the demand for AI-related talent, with first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, showing the highest demand.

Beijing, for example, ranked first in the number of AI job openings in the first three quarters for positions such as algorithm engineer and AI product manager, thanks to its academic advantage and active steps to establish AI industry clusters, the report said.

"AI technology is a buzzword of the new era and has entered every aspect of life, and it will keep integrating with different sectors of China's socioeconomic development and bring fundamental changes," said Li Qiang, Zhaopin's vice-president.

"Amid the current wave of AI technology, we see the medical industry improve the efficiency and precision of diagnosis with algorithm-aided diagnosis and smart image recognition, while the agriculture industry gives pest and disease warnings or yield predictions through smart monitoring systems," he said.

Global consulting company McKinsey earlier predicted that by 2030, AI technology will create a market value of over $1 trillion for China.

"Based on our data, job openings showing significant growth are for AI application engineers and AI product managers with knowledge of the technology, business and a sound industry background. Thus, all-rounders who can combine their skills with AI will gain the greatest advantage in the future job market," Li said.

Xu Zifan, who completed his postgraduate education in Shanghai in 2024 and landed a job at a technology startup in the city in June, said that AI will become a must-have skill for new employees in the future.

"It's not to say that individuals should be 'tech experts' in AI, but they should know how to use AI tools such as ChatGPT or Deep-Seek to increase their work efficiency," he said.

Wang Hanzhi, who is preparing for job interviews, said that several companies have included questions about AI during interviews, even though she is not applying for technology-related positions.

Wang, who majored in marketing for both her undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Beijing, said that candidates with interdisciplinary abilities are now the popular choice for employers. As a result, mastering some AI skills and using AI tools to analyze problems are vital to increase job seekers' competitiveness in the employment market.

Li from Zhaopin said that individuals can view AI as a working partner rather than a rival. "AI has created many new opportunities in sectors like modern services, the silver economy, and the green economy. Individuals can use AI as a partner to have a side job and develop more diversified working patterns," he added.