During the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, over 800 exhibitors showcased AI technologies that mimic human behavior. SenseTime, a Chinese firm, introduced an AI avatar capable of livestreaming on Taobao, a popular e-commerce platform. This technology, which can autonomously generate scripts and interact with buyers, could potentially reduce the number of human workers needed in livestreaming studios.
China’s government is actively promoting the integration of AI across various industries, despite rising urban unemployment rates, particularly among young people. Companies at the conference emphasized AI’s potential to enhance worker efficiency rather than replace jobs. For instance, SenseTime suggested that AI avatars could support human influencers by increasing their content output.
In the realm of autonomous vehicles, AI is revolutionizing data labeling, traditionally a human task. Boden AI revealed that AI can now perform this work three times faster, although human oversight remains necessary for accuracy.
AI is also filling gaps in areas lacking human expertise. Ant Group demonstrated an AI doctor avatar capable of providing medical advice, while Finger Dance presented an AI translator for sign language, intended to complement rather than replace human interpreters.
Robotics companies showcased humanoid robots performing tasks like rearranging boxes and folding laundry, with aspirations to deploy them in industries requiring repetitive or hazardous labor.
Despite some skepticism about AI’s current capabilities, there is a general acceptance among younger generations in China regarding AI’s inevitable role in the workforce. Experts suggest that while AI may reduce certain jobs, it will also create new opportunities, particularly in fields like software engineering and robot development.
