LettersAutomation must be designed with the human worker in mind
Readers discuss the importance of human dignity as robots upend industry, and the negative online reactions to a viral video of an expressive schoolchild
The scale and speed of China’s robotics development is stunning, as detailed in the article, and will have a huge impact on jobs. Where once a large and inexpensive workforce powered China’s manufacturing dominance, today the country is experiencing a surge in automation, with robots increasingly replacing human workers.
According to the International Federation of Robotics, the number of industrial robots installed in China surpassed two million by 2024, setting a global record. This rapid adoption signals an unprecedented challenge for the traditional workforce.
Industrial robots began to be widely deployed in China around 2013. To assess their impact on employment, we compared the employment data from two periods, 2007–2013 and 2018–2024, compiled in the China Statistical Yearbooks published by the National Bureau of Statistics.
From 2007 to 2013, the annual average number of workers in the secondary sector was about 218 million. It fell to 214 million in the 2018–2024 period, a notable decline. The average urban unemployment rate during those periods rose, from 4.12 per cent to 5.16 per cent.
Meanwhile, data published by ChinaPower this year showed that the number of industrial robots rose sharply from 155,000 in 2018 to 295,000 in 2024. Both unemployment and robot installations increased significantly during this time, suggesting a correlation between automation and job displacement.