In a move that could significantly impact China’s tech talent pool, Microsoft is reportedly transferring some of its top artificial intelligence (AI) researchers from Beijing to Vancouver, according to a Financial Times report.
The migration, referred to as the “Vancouver Plan,” aims to safeguard talent from being poached by Chinese tech groups while also responding to escalating political tensions between the US and China.
The relocation, which is said to involve 20 to 40 staff members, comes as Microsoft establishes a new lab in Vancouver, staffed by experts from around the world. The company clarified that the reported number of staff affected is inaccurate.
Chinese researchers have expressed concerns over the risks of talent poaching by domestic companies and potential harassment by authorities. These concerns have been discussed in internal meetings, leading some researchers to reject job offers from Chinese internet firms and instead apply for visas to move to Canada.
Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA) in Beijing has been an important training ground for Chinese tech talent, producing notable alumni who have made significant contributions to the AI ecosystem in China. The potential relocation of top AI researchers from MSRA may provoke Beijing, as the Chinese government has been actively trying to attract high-tech researchers back to the mainland through grants and prestigious teaching positions.
Microsoft’s long-standing presence in China has been marked by successful localized products, but the growing tensions between the US and China pose challenges. The company’s move to transfer researchers from China may extend to talented engineers working on global products in the future.
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