China to harness AI in creating new jobs: minister

BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's human resources authorities are mulling measures to actively harness AI in creating new job opportunities and empowering traditional jobs, an official said Saturday.

Employment potential will be unleashed in sectors such as digital economy, high-end manufacturing and modern services, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Wang Xiaoping told a press conference on the sidelines of the annual session of the national legislature.

The ministry will continue to intensify efforts in developing new professions, focusing on areas such as new quality productive forces, new consumption hotspots, and services for public wellbeing, she said.

Over the past five years, the ministry has identified 72 new occupations, with more than 20 directly related to AI. Each new occupation is expected to generate jobs for 300,000 to 500,000 people in its early stages.

China will also adopt a multi-pronged approach to address the impact of changes in the external environment and the development of new technologies such as AI on employment, according to the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) submitted Thursday to the national legislature for examination.