Fully Leverage the Positive Role of Artificial Intelligence in Improving Employment Quality

Promoting high-quality and full employment is the new orientation and new mission of employment work in the New Era on the new journey. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to “develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, transform and upgrade traditional industries, cultivate and strengthen emerging industries, plan and build future industries, improve the modern industrial system, and strive to create more high-quality employment positions.” [1]1 Xi Jinping, speech at the 14th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, May 27, 2024. The innovation and application of artificial intelligence technology are the main representatives and core driving forces of new quality productive forces. How to promote the continuous improvement of employment quality in the era of artificial intelligence is one of the key links in striving to achieve the goal of high-quality and full employment.

促进高质量充分就业，是新时代新征程就业工作的新定位、新使命。习近平总书记强调，要“因地制宜发展新质生产力，改造提升传统产业，培育壮大新兴产业，布局建设未来产业，完善现代化产业体系，努力创造更多高质量就业岗位”。人工智能技术的创新和应用，是新质生产力的主要代表和核心驱动力。如何在人工智能时代推进就业质量的不断提升，是努力实现高质量充分就业目标的关键环节之一。

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As artificial intelligence technology continues to advance and its application scope becomes increasingly widespread, the impact of AI on economic and social development is becoming increasingly prominent, and its breadth and depth may surpass any previous technological revolution. Undoubtedly, the innovation and application of AI technology will also have a significant impact on the labor market, manifested not only in the quantity and structure of employment but also in employment quality. High-quality and full employment is a multidimensional concept. At the macro level, it mainly includes sufficient employment opportunities, a fair employment environment, optimized employment structure, efficient person-job matching, and harmonious labor relations. At the micro level, it is mainly manifested in workers not only having jobs but also stable work, reasonable income, reliable security, and occupational safety. Correspondingly, employment quality also has rich connotations, which can be measured from dimensions such as wage remuneration, working hours, social security, employment stability, work environment, and employment fairness. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, [2]2 The 18th National Congress of the CPC was held in November 2012; it marked the beginning of the New Era under Xi Jinping’s leadership. China’s employment quality has significantly improved, and workers’ sense of gain, happiness, and security have all been notably enhanced. Taking wage remuneration as an example, in 2024, the average annual wages of employees in urban non-private units and urban private units nationwide were 2.65 times and 2.42 times those of 2012, respectively.

随着人工智能技术不断进步及其应用范围日益广泛，人工智能对经济社会发展的影响日渐突出，其广度和深度有可能超过以往任何一次技术革命。毫无疑问，人工智能技术的创新和应用也将对劳动力市场产生重大的影响，这不仅表现在就业的数量、结构方面，也表现在就业质量方面。高质量充分就业是一个多维概念，在宏观层面，高质量充分就业主要包括就业机会充分、就业环境公平、就业结构优化、人岗匹配高效、劳动关系和谐等；在微观层面，高质量充分就业主要表现为劳动者不仅有活干，而且工作稳定、收入合理、保障可靠、职业安全等。相应地，就业质量同样具有丰富的内涵，可以从工资报酬、工作时间、社会保障、就业稳定、工作环境、就业公平等维度进行衡量。党的十八大以来，我国就业质量有了明显提高，劳动者的获得感、幸福感和安全感都有了显著增强。以工资报酬为例，2024年，全国城镇非私营单位就业人员、城镇私营单位就业人员年平均工资分别是2012年的2.65倍和2.42倍。

Theoretically, the impact of AI on employment quality is complex. It is generally believed that, corresponding to the “creation effect” and “destruction effect” of technological progress on employment quantity, it also has “lowering” and “enhancing” effects on employment quality. From the development experience of various countries, whether the impact of technological progress on employment quality is greater in the lowering effect or the enhancing effect is related to the country’s development stage, economic structure, industrial policies, and other factors. In addition, some argue that in the long run, the impact of technological progress on employment quantity and quality may also be neutral, meaning it does not affect employment status or quality—this is the so-called “technological neutrality theory.” Unlike the previous three technological revolutions, the fourth technological revolution, represented by AI technology, has a much broader and deeper scope and degree of impact on the labor market, and this impact is all-encompassing.

从理论上分析，人工智能对就业质量的影响是复杂的。一般认为，与技术进步对就业数量产生的“创造效应”和“破坏效应”相对应，其对就业质量也存在着“降低”和“提升”两种效应。从各国的发展经验来看，技术进步过程中对就业质量的影响究竟是降低效应大还是提升效应大，与该国的发展阶段、经济结构、产业政策等方面有关。此外，也有观点认为，长期看技术进步对就业数量和就业质量的影响也可能是中性的，即不会影响就业状况和就业质量，这就是所谓的“技术中性论”。与以往三次技术革命不同，以人工智能技术为代表的第四次技术革命，对劳动力市场影响的范围和程度要广泛且深刻得多，且这种影响是全方位的。

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Currently, China is in the stage of rapid development and widespread application of AI technology. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, [3]3 The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) is China’s upcoming national economic and social development plan. the pace of AI technological innovation will further accelerate, and the breadth and depth of its popularization and application will continue to expand. Against this backdrop, improving China’s employment quality faces both opportunities and challenges, but on balance, opportunities outweigh challenges. Specifically, the opportunities that AI brings to improving employment quality are manifested in the following aspects:

目前，我国正处在人工智能技术的快速发展和普及应用阶段。“十五五”时期，人工智能技术创新的步伐将进一步加快，普及应用广度和深度将持续拓展。在这一背景下，提高我国的就业质量既面临着机遇，也面临着挑战，但综合来看是机遇大于挑战。具体来说，人工智能对提高就业质量带来的机遇表现在以下方面：

First, it can create more high-quality new occupations and positions. The digital economy, represented by AI, can create more high-quality employment positions, mainly concentrated in fields such as technology, research and development, and services. Since 2019, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security has released 93 new occupations in six batches to the public. In China’s Occupational Classification Code, new occupations such as AI trainers and AI engineering technicians have been clearly marked. These new occupations and positions generally feature high salary levels, strong market demand, and high knowledge and skill requirements. At the same time, the rapid development of the digital economy in the national economy will continuously drive the employment structure toward high-end and intelligent directions. In 2024, the added value of China’s “three new” economy [4]4 “Three new” economy refers to new industries, new business forms, and new business models. accounted for 18.01% of GDP, with its share in the national economy continuing to rise. In terms of employment, by the end of 2023, there were 2.916 million corporate legal entities in core industries of the digital economy nationwide, employing 36.159 million people. Among the employees of these corporate legal entities, digital product manufacturing, digital product services, digital technology application, and digital factor-driven industries accounted for 37.0%, 4.2%, 40.4%, and 18.4%, respectively.

一是能够创造更多高质量新职业新岗位。以人工智能为代表的数字经济能够创造更多高质量的就业岗位，这些新职业新岗位主要集中在技术、研发、服务等领域。自2019年以来，人社部已向社会发布6批93个新职业。在我国职业分类大典中，已有人工智能训练师、人工智能工程技术人员等新职业被明确标注。这些新职业新岗位大都具有薪酬水平高、市场需求量大、知识技能要求高等特点。与此同时，数字经济在国民经济中的快速发展，将不断推动就业结构向高端化、智能化方向发展。2024年我国“三新”经济增加值占国内生产总值的比重为18.01%，在国民经济中的比重持续提升。在就业方面，2023年年末，全国共有数字经济核心产业企业法人单位291.6万个，从业人员3615.9万人。在数字经济核心产业企业法人单位从业人员中，数字产品制造业、数字产品服务业、数字技术应用业、数字要素驱动业分别占37.0%、4.2%、40.4%、18.4%。

Second, it creates conditions for increasing workers’ income. The emergence of a large number of high-quality employment positions not only raises workers’ income levels but also improves the structure of income distribution. AI provides a historic opportunity to raise the income level of low-income groups. The biggest feature of the digital economy, represented by AI, is its ability to transcend geographical and physical limitations, creating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for groups such as residents in remote areas, farmers lifted out of poverty, and people with disabilities. AI is an important pathway for building a normalized mechanism to prevent rural populations from returning to poverty, and it is of great significance for firmly holding the bottom line of preventing large-scale reversion to poverty.

二是为提高劳动者收入创造了条件。大量高质量就业岗位的涌现，不仅提高了劳动者的收入水平，还改善了收入分配的结构。人工智能为提高低收入群体收入水平提供了历史性机遇。以人工智能为代表的数字经济最大的特点就是能够突破地域、身体的限制，为广大边远地区居民、脱贫农民、残疾人等群体创造就业创业机会。人工智能是构建农村人口的常态化防止返贫致贫机制的重要途径，对于牢牢守住不发生规模性返贫底线意义重大。

Third, it is conducive to improving the work environment and reducing labor intensity. Intelligent robots and remote control technology are being applied more and more widely. Automation and intelligent monitoring systems empowered by AI technology can effectively reduce workers’ dangerous exposures, prevent work-related injuries, and improve overall working conditions. AI has also created a large number of “unmanned factories” and “lights-out factories,” [5]5 “Lights-out factories” are fully automated factories that can operate without human workers on site, requiring no lighting. greatly reducing workers’ labor intensity. It is worth noting that AI not only reduces the burden on many manual workers but also makes work more convenient for many knowledge and technical workers.

三是有利于改善工作环境和减轻劳动强度。智能机器人与远程控制技术得到越来越广泛的应用，人工智能技术赋能的自动化和智能监控系统可以有效减少劳动者的危险接触，预防工伤并改善整体工作条件。人工智能还创造了大量“无人工厂”“黑灯工厂”，劳动者工作强度大大减轻。值得注意的是，人工智能不仅减轻了大量体力劳动者的负担，也使许多知识和技术工作者的工作变得更为便捷。

Fourth, it can more effectively create conditions for achieving employment fairness for different groups. Achieving employment fairness and eliminating all forms of employment discrimination are important components of high-quality and full employment. AI can not only create opportunities for disadvantaged groups to obtain higher incomes and narrow income gaps between different groups but also reduce the occurrence of employment unfairness through technological empowerment. Currently, AI technology has been widely applied in recruitment platforms. In the recruitment process, recruitment platforms use intelligent recommendation algorithms to eliminate information asymmetry, comprehensively integrate recruitment data, break down information barriers, and ensure that the potential of every job seeker can be accurately identified. In addition, AI has also created more employment opportunities for women, playing a positive role in promoting gender equality.

四是能够更有效地为不同群体实现就业公平创造条件。实现就业公平、消除各种形式的就业歧视，是高质量充分就业的重要内容。人工智能不仅能为困难群体创造获得更高收入的机会，缩小不同群体之间收入差距，也可以通过技术赋能来减少就业不公平现象的发生。目前，人工智能技术在招聘平台中已得到广泛应用。在招聘环节，招聘平台通过智能推荐算法消除信息差，全面整合招聘数据，打破信息壁垒，让每个求职者的潜力都能被准确识别。此外，人工智能也为女性创造了更多的就业机会，为增进性别平等发挥了积极作用。

Fifth, it assists in protecting workers’ rights and interests. By building digital rights protection platforms and developing intelligent monitoring and compliance management systems, covering multiple aspects such as labor relations, social security, working hours, and occupational injuries, it can more effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the broad masses of workers. At the same time, through data sharing and smoothing channels for cross-regional rights protection and safeguards, the efficiency of protecting workers’ rights and interests is greatly improved. AI is also widely used in vocational skills training, which not only improves the efficiency and effectiveness of such training but also enhances workers’ initiative and enthusiasm for participating in training.

五是助力劳动者权益保障。通过搭建数字化维权平台，开发智能监控与合规管理系统，贯穿劳动关系、社会保障、工作时间、职业伤害等多个方面，能够更有效地维护广大劳动者的合法权益。与此同时，通过数据共享、畅通跨区域权益维护和保障的渠道，大大提高了劳动者权益保障的效率。人工智能还被广泛地运用于职业技能培训，既提高了职业技能培训的效率和效果，还能够增强劳动者参加培训的主动性和积极性。

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We must clearly recognize that AI also carries the risk of lowering employment quality. To achieve high-quality and full employment, it is necessary to fully leverage the positive role of AI in improving and enhancing employment quality, control and eliminate potential adverse factors, pay more attention to quality effects while technological progress triggers quantity and structural effects, and strive to achieve the dual goals of technological progress and employment quality improvement. Therefore, efforts should be made to do the following work:

我们必须清醒地认识到，人工智能也存在着降低就业质量的风险。要实现高质量充分就业，必须充分发挥人工智能在改善和提升就业质量方面的积极作用，控制和消除潜在的不利因素，在技术进步引发数量效应和结构效应的同时更注重质量效应，努力实现技术进步与就业质量提升的双重目标。因此，应努力做好以下工作：

Accelerate the construction of an employment-friendly development model, striving to achieve the dual goals of technological progress and high-quality full employment. An employment-friendly development model means coordinating the relationship between technological progress and economic and social development, adhering to the employment-first strategy, continuously strengthening employment-first policies, and building an employment-friendly society. While accelerating the transformation of the development model, promote the coordinated and balanced development of the “technology-biased” development model and the “employment-biased” development model, achieving technology’s friendliness toward employment.

加快构建就业友好型发展方式，努力实现技术进步与高质量充分就业的双重目标。就业友好型发展方式意味着要协调好技术进步与经济社会发展的关系，坚持就业优先战略，不断强化就业优先政策，构建就业友好型社会。在加快发展方式转变的同时，促进“技术偏向型”发展方式与“就业偏向型”发展方式的协同平衡发展，实现技术对就业的友好。

Further strengthen the employment-first policy, and attach importance to the scientific assessment of the impact of artificial intelligence on employment quality. Employment policy must not only focus on the expansion of employment scale and quantity, but also pay greater attention to the improvement of employment quality. Pay greater attention to the consistency and coordination of fiscal policy, monetary policy, industrial policy, and employment policy. When formulating major policies, determining major projects, and deploying major productive forces, it is necessary to simultaneously carry out job creation and unemployment risk assessment, while also strengthening the assessment of the impact on employment quality. Attach importance to the prediction of the impact of artificial intelligence technology development on employment quality, establish an employment quality evaluation indicator system that includes artificial intelligence factors, and adjust and optimize relevant industrial policies and employment policies on the basis of scientific evaluation.

进一步强化就业优先政策，重视人工智能对就业质量影响的科学评估。就业政策不仅要关注就业规模和数量的扩大，更要注重就业质量的提升。更加注重财政政策、货币政策、产业政策与就业政策的一致性和协调性。在对重大政策制定、重大项目确定、重大生产力布局时，既要同步开展岗位创造、失业风险评估，也要加强对就业质量影响的评估。重视人工智能技术发展对就业质量影响的预判，建立包含人工智能因素在内的就业质量评价指标体系，在科学评价的基础上调整和优化相关产业政策和就业政策。

Eliminate the “digital divide” as soon as possible, and fully tap into the inclusive function of artificial intelligence in improving employment quality. Further expand the radiation scope of artificial intelligence applications, accelerate the construction of artificial intelligence infrastructure, so that more people can enjoy the dividends brought by the development of artificial intelligence technology. Fully leverage the inclusive function of artificial intelligence technology to bring employment and entrepreneurship opportunities to more disadvantaged groups. Implement the “Artificial Intelligence +” action on a larger scale, further strengthen the application and promotion of artificial intelligence in areas such as social security, working environment, and labor time management, provide workers with fairer and higher-quality public services, and continuously improve the level of protection of workers’ rights and interests.

尽快消除“数字鸿沟”，充分挖掘人工智能提升就业质量的普惠性功能。进一步扩大人工智能的应用辐射范围，加快人工智能基础设施建设，使更多人能够享受到人工智能技术发展带来的红利。充分发挥人工智能技术的普惠性功能，为更多的困难群体带来就业创业机会。更大规模地实施“人工智能＋”行动，进一步加强人工智能在涉及社会保障、工作环境、劳动时间管理等方面的应用推广，为劳动者提供更加公平、更高质量的公共服务，不断提升劳动者权益保障水平。

Adhere to “investing in people,” continuously strengthen “investment in people,” and intensify the empowerment of vocational skills training by artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence education should start from childhood, popularizing artificial intelligence courses and knowledge in schools at all levels. With the help of artificial intelligence technology, transform vocational skills training from passive acceptance to immersive experience, stimulate workers’ desire to learn, and improve the effectiveness of training. At the same time, remote network training can enable workers in remote areas to obtain high-quality knowledge and skills. Pay special attention to vocational skills training for groups such as migrant workers and farmers who have been lifted out of poverty. Strengthen school-enterprise cooperation, explore the “knowledge + skills” training model in universities, promote “micro-courses” focused on skills training, so that college students can acquire a skill while obtaining academic diplomas, enhancing their adaptability to the job market.

坚持“投资于人”，不断加强“对人的投资”，强化人工智能赋能职业技能培训的力度。人工智能教育要从小抓起，在各级学校普及人工智能课程和知识。借助人工智能技术，将职业技能培训从被动接受转变为沉浸式体验，激发劳动者的学习欲望，提高培训的实效。同时，可以通过远程网络培训让偏远地区的劳动者获得高质量的知识和技能。要特别注重对农民工和脱贫农民等群体的职业技能培训。加强校企合作，在高校探索“知识＋技能”培养模式，推广以技能培训为主的“微课程”，让大学生在获得学历文凭的同时，也能掌握一技之长，增强对就业市场的适应能力。

Establish and improve the supervision and management mechanism of artificial intelligence technology ethics as soon as possible, and eliminate various new types of employment discrimination. At present, strengthening the governance of artificial intelligence technology ethics has become a global consensus. China has issued a series of rules and regulations to strengthen technology ethics governance, and has proposed a cultural concept and guarantee mechanism for shaping “technology for good.” [6]6 “Technology for good” (科技向善) is a slogan promoted by the Chinese government and tech companies, advocating that technological development should serve social welfare and ethical principles. In addition to government-level supervision, enterprises should be encouraged to establish internal technology ethics committees to guide their own technology research and development and application. In response to the problem of algorithmic discrimination in employment, an artificial intelligence technology ethics governance system with government supervision as the mainstay and multi-party participation by enterprises and workers should be established as soon as possible, highlighting the principle of people-centeredness and worker-centeredness, and strengthening the management and review of algorithms in key links such as recruitment, evaluation, and dismissal. Further improve labor laws and regulations, and impose necessary punishments for algorithmic discrimination.

尽快建立健全人工智能技术伦理的监督管理机制，消除各种新型就业歧视。目前，加强人工智能技术伦理治理已成为全球共识。我国已经出台了加强技术伦理治理的系列规章制度，并提出了塑造“科技向善”的文化理念和保障机制。除了政府层面的监督外，要鼓励企业成立内部的技术伦理委员会，指导各自企业的技术研发与应用。针对就业算法歧视问题，要尽快建立以政府监管为主导、企业和劳动者多方参与的人工智能技术伦理治理体系，突出以人为本、以劳动者为中心的原则，加强对招聘、考评、解聘等重点环节算法的管理和审查。进一步完善劳动法律法规，对算法歧视行为予以必要的惩处。

(Author: Li Chang’an, Researcher at the National Academy of Opening-up, University of International Business and Economics; Chair of the Labor Market Professional Committee, China Society of Labor Economics)

（作者：李长安，系对外经济贸易大学国家对外开放研究院研究员、中国劳动经济学会劳动力市场专业委员会主任委员）

*Guangming Daily* (September 23, 2025, Edition 06)

《光明日报》（ 2025年09月23日 06版）

Online Editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧