His boss asked if AI could replace human coders. Two weeks later, he and 160 colleagues were laid off in Beijing

Artificial intelligence is reshaping China's job market as the government pushes AI adoption across the economy. Workers are facing job displacement, exemplified by a Beijing tech layoff of 161 employees after their boss questioned whether AI could replace them. While state policies support AI development, economists warn that widespread automation could worsen China's already difficult employment situation.

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