China should up education spending to help population adapt to AI era: economist
Prominent Chinese economist says it is imperative to ensure the next generation can withstand the changes being driven by AI
Beijing should increase investment in early childhood education and lifelong learning as AI reshapes the world’s largest labour market, a prominent Chinese economist has said.
“Their ability to remain employable and even delay retirement depends on continued participation in the labour market, which is why training for older workers carries high social returns,” Cai added.
Education can no longer be seen merely as a private family investment aimed at giving one child an edge over another; it has become a societal imperative to ensure the next generation can withstand and adapt to the disruptions brought by AI, according to Cai.
With global forecasts predicting sweeping churn in the workforce and domestic studies showing AI is changing – not simply replacing – jobs, the labour market’s ultimate trajectory would hinge on how effectively policymakers manage the transition, experts said.