Regulating Workplace Artificial Intelligence in the PRC Legal System: Between Economic Efficiency and Social Stability
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how people work. In China, technologies such as automated task allocation, algorithmic performance evaluation and intelligent monitoring systems have become part of everyday life in logistics, delivery platforms, manufacturing and services. Although the state has issued numerous AI-related regulations, workers still face unclear rules, high algorithm-driven pressure and limited effective protection. Why does this happen, and how does China’s system of workplace AI regulation actually function?
The aim of the project is to provide the first comprehensive explanation of how China regulates artificial intelligence in the workplace. The study examines not only legal rules themselves, but also how they are implemented by government agencies, courts and technology companies. A key assumption is that China’s regulation of AI serves not only to protect workers, but also to balance two central state priorities: maintaining rapid economic growth and preserving social stability.
The project uses a wide range of Chinese-language sources, including legislation, court decisions, administrative guidelines, research reports, company documents and scholarly publications. Analysing these materials helps explain why China has created an extensive framework of AI-related rules, while their enforcement often remains selective and shaped by political and economic considerations.
The research focuses on four main areas: 1. How China designs workplace AI regulations – and why these rules are frequently intentionally ambiguous. 2. How state institutions and courts apply the regulations – and why enforcement differs across regions. 3. How platform and technology companies react to regulation – sometimes reinforcing it, sometimes finding ways around it. 4. How AI affects everyday work – including working conditions, privacy, workload intensity and dispute resolution.
The project has significance beyond the study of China. The way China combines technological development with social control is increasingly influential internationally. The findings may help identify regulatory risks and emerging patterns that could also appear in Europe as work becomes more algorithmically managed.
The main outcome will be a comprehensive model of workplace AI governance that explains the mechanisms of China’s regulatory system and allows researchers and policymakers to better anticipate its effects on workers, companies and the state. This model will also be valuable for experts and decision-makers in Poland and the European Union seeking effective ways to regulate AI in the workplace.