Technology Advancements Are Double-Edged Sword for China

China aims to become the global leader in automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics. But there will be collateral damage in achieving those goals, which has already manifested in the country’s manufacturing sector, the backbone of China’s current economy.

A boy looks at a robot arm at the 2018 World Robot Conference in Beijing on Aug. 15, 2018. Wang Zhao/AFP/Getty Images

China aims to become the global leader in automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics. It’s a goal set forth in its “Made in China 2025” program and reiterated during each economic-policy update.

But, in achieving those goals, there will be collateral damage, which has already manifested in the country’s manufacturing sector, the backbone of China’s economy.