China's Workers' Daily urges for protections for workers in the AI sector.

      China's Workers’ Daily, the official publication of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, has issued an editorial calling for regulators to safeguard labor rights amid the expansion of artificial intelligence. The article emphasizes the need for enhanced supervision of AI algorithms and cautions against allowing market dynamics to dictate automation efforts that primarily target job reductions, as Citigroup forecasts that 70 million workers in China may face displacement due to AI.

      The editorial, titled “With the AI wave surging, how can we build a strong ‘dam’ for workers’ rights?” highlights the need for regulatory improvements in labor standards in light of increasing AI integration. It states that the adoption of AI aimed purely at minimizing human labor should be approached with care and not solely left to market forces.

      The publication asserts that the advantages of technological progress should be equitably distributed throughout society, rather than being exploited by a select few employers at the expense of workers' rights, as reported by Bloomberg.

      China is navigating the challenges associated with its ambitious AI adoption goals alongside a vulnerable labor market. The government's “AI Plus” initiative aims for 70% AI implementation across critical sectors by 2027, rising to 90% by 2030, according to last year’s State Council guidelines. Citigroup estimates that AI could displace about 70 million workers, putting approximately 9.6% of all jobs in China at significant risk of displacement, with this figure increasing to 13.6% for younger workers, based on a Reuters analysis.

      Chinese companies are already quietly implementing small-scale layoffs in the pursuit of productivity through AI. According to Chinese labor laws, firms must obtain government approval for job cuts exceeding 10% of their workforce, leading them to restructure in increments small enough to evade regulatory oversight.

      In its editorial, Workers’ Daily outlines two main issues: first, the violation of personal rights through what it calls the “distilling” of white-collar skills, where employees’ expertise is utilized to train AI models that subsequently make them redundant. Second, it addresses the lack of transparency for platform workers, such as couriers and drivers, concerning how orders, pricing, and routes are determined.

      China has recently established protections for over 200 million gig workers, including requirements for algorithm transparency, minimum wages, and maximum working hours enforced by the applications themselves, with compliance mandated by 2027.

      The editorial’s messaging aligns with actions taken by Chinese courts, which have started to favor workers adversely affected by AI. In April 2026, a court in Hangzhou ruled that a tech company unlawfully terminated a quality assurance supervisor after automating his position, asserting that AI replacement is not a legitimate justification for dismissal. Similarly, a ruling in Beijing in December 2025 concluded that the implementation of AI is a business decision rather than an unavoidable circumstance, mandating that companies retrain or reassign employees before they can be dismissed, as reported by Fortune.

      The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced in January 2026 that it would expedite the development of a system to monitor the employment impact of AI and release a specific policy document addressing its implications for the labor market.

      The government has cautioned employers, particularly in the tech sector, against making overt job cuts. Firms that can showcase productivity improvements through AI while retaining employees are more likely to benefit from favorable treatment by regulators and state media.

      This issue is complex, as the Stanford AI Index 2026 found that China's AI performance gap with the U.S. has narrowed to only 2.7%, despite China investing significantly less—23 times less—in private AI ventures. The rate of job creation linked to AI has reportedly been slower than the rate of job displacement, which is particularly concerning given the ongoing youth unemployment crisis in China.

      Founded in 1949 alongside the establishment of the People’s Republic, Workers’ Daily has historically been a channel for the communist party to convey labor policy priorities. Its editorial series addressing AI protections indicates that Beijing is likely preparing a more thorough regulatory framework to manage AI's influence on employment. This approach stands in stark contrast to the more laissez-faire attitudes observed in the U.S. and much of Europe. The crucial question now is whether China can maintain its rapid pace of AI adoption while genuinely safeguarding the rights of displaced workers. The courts and the union press have set the rhetorical benchmark; the focus now shifts to effective enforcement.