Distinctive Approaches: AI Adoption in Mainland China Versus the Greater APAC Region

As organisations across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region accelerate their adoption of AI, one message is becoming increasingly clear — what works regionally or globally does not automatically translate to success in Mainland China. (For clarity, all references to ‘China’ in this article refer to Mainland China.)

For multinational companies, the defining factor is a "local-first" strategy. China operates within a distinct digital and regulatory ecosystem, shaped by cross-border transfer and is tightly regulated. Platform governance and technology standards in China differ materially from the rest of the APAC region, often resulting in fragmented data and limited insights of the local market.

While many organisations can extend a global AI workforce strategy across markets such as Singapore, Japan, Australia or Hong Kong SAR, planning for technological expansions in China often demands a fundamentally different approach. This is further intensified by the pace of change; for example, generative AI users doubled in six months. Business cycles are faster, AI capabilities evolve rapidly and strategies must be recalibrated in near real time.

To adapt effectively in China, companies need more than technology alignment. They must combine global intent with local tools, local insight and trusted on-the-ground strategic advisory support to build workforce strategies that are both compliant and competitive in China.

What Does an AI-Ready Workforce Strategy Look Like in China?

The APAC region leads the globe in AI usage at work – 78% use AI weekly at work compared to 72% worldwide – making it critical that businesses in China with a footprint outside of China’s borders strengthen their AI strategy and invest in the future of their AI-enabled workforce.

The AI industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace in China. The market is notably receptive to experimenting with AI tools and translating best practices into how work gets done.

The real question is whether organisations are deliberately architecting a future-ready workforce strategy by clearly identifying the right capabilities in the era of AI. This shift carries two critical implications:

1. There must be a clear roadmap for talent development that outlines which skill sets you need to hire and illustrates how individuals progress over time.

2. Companies need an evolving people strategy – supported by frameworks such as success profiles – to create a shared reference point for what “excellence” really means in a rapidly changing skills landscape. It is critical to develop a measurable way to determine successful integration of AI tools.

With this end-to-end view of the talent journey, a clearer AI strategy can be applied more effectively to analyse skills gaps, readiness and progression, ensuring workforce decisions remain tightly connected to broader business objectives.

The Future of Work in China: A View of the Next 12 Months

According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, more than 90% of organisations in China view AI and robotics as critical technologies for business transformation. However, realising this ambition will require far more than technology investment alone. It will require an implementation strategy, in-depth analysis of business goals and team members who are trained to utilise and capitalise on the advantages available through AI tools.

To that end, employers continue to highlight widening skills gaps and ongoing challenges in attracting talent with the AI knowledge that their business needs. In conjunction with finding people with those skills, forward-focused companies are working to make large-scale reskilling and upskilling a strategic priority. As a result, organisations will need to adopt agile change management approaches to keep pace with rapid technological and organisational changes.

From a labour market perspective, China is expected to mirror global trends, with strong growth in roles such as AI and machine learning specialists, data analysts and data scientists. Demand for these capabilities will continue to rise as organisations move from experimentation to more embedded AI adoption, reinforcing the need for workforce strategies that align talent development with long-term business transformation.

Understanding the China labour market, sourcing the right talent and developing a strategy that makes AI and automation tools a competitive advantage are keys to the future of workforce success.