China’s State Council General Office is asking employers to link artificial intelligence adoption with worker protections, prioritizing jobs with labor shortages or hazardous conditions while seeking to limit disruption to employees.
The guidance is dated Oct. 16 and was made public Oct. 23. It identifies jobs with labor shortages or hazardous conditions as priorities for AI, saying the technology can improve working conditions, safety and efficiency.
For large-scale deployments, companies are asked to notify affected workers beforehand and help them move into other roles. The document also encourages employers to consider a transition period for employees whose jobs may be cut.
Labor-intensive industries face separate guidance on the extent and speed of adoption. Companies are asked to set limits on how broadly and quickly they introduce AI, with the stated aim of reducing effects on workers.
The recommendations also call for developing workers’ digital skills and other job-related capabilities. They include stronger labor protections and social security, as well as using AI to improve employment services.
The guidance calls for tracking employment risks associated with AI applications, issuing early warnings and studying the technology’s effects on jobs. It presents AI as a potential source of job creation and support for traditional roles, while seeking to curb job displacement.
