China is struggling to recruit foreign A.I. talent

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 9, 2026

China’s efforts to attract foreign AI researchers through specialized visas and funding have had limited success, with a continued net migration of Chinese AI talent to the United States. While China retains more domestic researchers and grows its global research presence, the U.S. still leads in drawing diverse international AI talent, though future visa and funding challenges could threaten its dominance.

As competition intensifies between the United States and China for leadership in artificial intelligence (AI), China is facing challenges in attracting foreign AI talent despite government efforts to do so. Over the past two years, China has introduced specialized visas for international scientists and offered substantial research grants in an attempt to attract the world’s best researchers. However, a recent study highlights that these measures have not significantly boosted foreign recruitment.

According to research conducted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the flow of Chinese AI researchers to the United States remains disproportionately high compared to the reverse movement. For every 30 Chinese researchers working on AI in the United States last year, only one moved from the United States to China. The study analyzed author affiliations and educational backgrounds from papers presented at NeurIPS, a leading conference in machine learning and computational neuroscience, to trace the movement of AI talent.

Despite heightened U.S.-China tensions and visa restrictions implemented during the Trump administration, the number of Chinese-origin researchers based in the United States actually grew by approximately four percentage points over the past three years, according to Damien Ma, who led the study. Experts note that many of these researchers arrived before restrictions were imposed, indicating a delay in the observable impact of recent policies.

While China struggles to draw foreign researchers, it has made headway in retaining domestic talent. Increasingly, Chinese scientists trained within local universities and institutions are choosing to stay, reducing the brain drain that has characterized earlier years. This trend coincides with China’s rise as a hub for AI research: in 2023, Chinese institutions accounted for 12 of the top 30 organizations publishing at NeurIPS, up from six in 2022. Meanwhile, Chinese researchers authored 41 percent of NeurIPS papers last year, outpacing U.S.-based authors.

China offers a growing ecosystem of research opportunities including well-funded universities and prominent tech companies such as DeepSeek and Moonshot, whose global success has elevated their attractiveness to top talent. Kevin Xu, founder of Interconnected Capital, a hedge fund focused on AI technologies, observed that working at leading Chinese firms now confers professional prestige comparable to Silicon Valley counterparts, reflecting a significant shift from previous years.

Nevertheless, the Chinese government places restrictions on the international movement of certain AI entrepreneurs and researchers. For instance, travel by two founders of Manus, a Chinese AI startup poised for acquisition by Meta, was curtailed, alongside tighter controls on the mobility of researchers’ families.

China has seen some success persuading expatriate researchers to return. Tencent’s recent appointment of Yao Shunyu, a former OpenAI scientist, as its chief AI scientist is among the most notable examples of repatriation.

In contrast, the United States continues to attract a diverse pool of international AI researchers, many from China, India, and South Korea, benefiting from a robust research environment and investment opportunities. However, experts warn that sustained visa restrictions and reduced funding could undermine the country’s long-term ability to draw top talent, potentially weakening its global research leadership in the coming decades.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.