Study: China struggles to attract foreign AI researchers while losing locals to the US

Research cited by the New York Times reveals a significant disparity in AI talent movement between China and the United States. For every Chinese AI researcher who relocated to China in 2025, approximately 30 moved in the opposite direction to the US.

The data underscores challenges China faces in retaining and attracting top AI talent despite the country's rapidly growing artificial intelligence sector and strong local opportunities for researchers.