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China’s AI optimism isn’t what it seems - by Zilan Qian

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The enthusiasm seems real. But for a population that lived through the mass layoffs of the 1990s, optimism and fear can look identical from the outside.

China’s AI optimism isn’t what it seems The enthusiasm seems real. But for a population that lived through the mass layoffs of the 1990s, optimism and fear can look identical from the outside. Zilan Qian May 20, 2026 99 7 32 Share This article is a preview of our upcoming Issue 15: Work. Subscribe to the print magazine to get it delivered to your door. Americans — left, right, and everywhere in between — seem to be afraid of AI. They fear data centers speeding up climate change, disinformation and deepfakes, AI companionship, and, above all, job loss from automation. Meanwhile, the Chinese pub

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