The share of unemployed Chinese aged 25-29 has risen to its highest level since the National Bureau of Statistics first defined this age category – 7.7 percent, up from 7.2 percent in March 2025.
elchi reports that, according to Bloomberg, the unexpected deterioration has affected the core demographic group of young professionals.
Citing Citigroup’s estimates, the agency notes that the “widespread but still superficial” adoption of artificial intelligence could ultimately leave about 70 million people in China unemployed.
Unemployment in China rose across almost all segments of the labor market last month, reaching about 17 percent among youth aged 16-24 and 5.4 percent nationwide. The authors note that artificial intelligence poses the greatest threat to 25-29-year-olds, a group that traditionally attracts a large number of job seekers transitioning from school to work. The article states that the pressure of technology is particularly impactful for those seeking entry-level career positions.
In the summer of 2023, Chinese authorities stopped publishing youth unemployment data and announced a revision of the methodology for calculating the ratio for different population groups in early 2024. Previously, there was no distinction between the 25-29 and 25-59 age groups. Now, the statistical service has created a new category because most young people finish their education at age 24 and may experience initial instability in the labor market, the effects of which usually stabilize by age 29.
Recently, the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, whose wealth is approaching $800 billion, suggested combating the impact of unemployment caused by the widespread use of artificial intelligence by providing people with a “universal high income” through government-issued checks. Addressing the situation in the US, the billionaire said, “AI/robotics will produce a significantly higher amount of goods and services than the growth of the money supply, so there will be no inflation.”
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