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Update
What changedA Carnegie China study reported by The Information says China became the leading destination for elite AI researchers in 2025, overtaking the United States. The new figures turn an earlier signal about researchers staying in China into a clearer measure of how the global AI talent map has shifted.
What changed
The study puts China’s share of elite AI researchers at 40.6% in 2025, up from 27.1% in 2022. The US fell from 46.4% to 34.2% over the same period, according to The Information’s account of the research.
That is a material addition to the existing story, not merely a fresh coat of statistical paint. It supplies the missing comparison and endpoint: China is not simply retaining more home-grown researchers, it is now reported to be the most common destination in this elite group.
The figures come through The Information’s reporting on Carnegie China’s study. The supplied evidence does not include the full methodology or dataset, so the percentages should be read as reported study findings rather than a complete census of every AI researcher.
Why it matters
The competition for AI capability is often described through chips, computing power and investment. Talent is the less shiny but rather more decisive ingredient.
Sources and evidence- China Leads U.S. in Top AI Talent, Study Finds – The Information: The Information reports that Carnegie China found China overtook the US as the top destination for elite AI talent in 2025, with China at 40.6% compared with 27.1% in 2022, and the US at 34.2% compared with 46.4%.
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