SHANGHAI, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) — In a bustling Shanghai workplace constructing on a Saturday afternoon, dozens of white-collar staff gathered for a hands-on synthetic intelligence (AI) coaching session, reflecting the town’s hovering curiosity in changing into AI trainers.
This rising career, formally acknowledged as “AI trainer” in China’s occupational catalog, has been formally listed as “an occupation in short supply” in Shanghai. As AI transforms industries, these trainers act as “translators” between people and machines, guaranteeing AI techniques perceive real-world wants.
“I decided to try the AI trainer course after seeing it on WeChat,” mentioned Chen Ke, who has no laptop science background. “Through systematic training, instructors break down complex theories and help beginners like me digest knowledge through practical operations. Even novices can ride the wave of AI as a new productive force.”
The course, provided by an industry-training integration abilities growth middle supported by the municipal authorities, blends 30 % idea with 70 % hands-on observe and caters largely to working professionals on weekends, in accordance with its normal supervisor, Pan Pan.
Pan emphasised that instructors constantly replace curricula with {industry} insights and real-world eventualities to “support learners from start to finish.”
For many, the certification aligns with profession shifts. “AI training perfectly matches my professional development and transition needs,” famous Yi Zhou, a researcher at a Japanese drug R&D firm, who noticed the rising pattern of AI in biopharma.
“While I previously learned AI online superficially, structured training helps build a solid knowledge base to use models for predicting key indicators in drug R&D, accelerating processes,” Yi mentioned.
Enterprises are eager to rent licensed AI trainers. At Shanghai Ideal Information Industry (Group) Co., Ltd., educated trainers function “guardians of the last mile in AI product deployment,” overseeing knowledge annotation, mannequin optimization, and high quality management.
“Shanghai’s AI trainer job demand has surged over 30 percent, but talents with both technical and industry expertise remain scarce, leading to recruitment challenges,” mentioned Li Na, the corporate’s normal supervisor.
She credited native insurance policies for decreasing coaching prices by way of subsidies and fostering a “market-driven, institution-nurtured, policy-supported” ecosystem.
Shanghai has bolstered coaching by means of larger subsidies and rigorous analysis. AI coach certification is included within the metropolis’s key assist catalog, with skill-upgrade subsidies raised by 30 % to incentivize participation.
“Aligning with Shanghai’s goals of scientific innovation and high-end industry leadership, we anchor training to tech and industrial chains, shifting from following trends to shaping the future,” mentioned Yang Jiaying, director of the Shanghai Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.
In 2025, Shanghai recorded 16,300 members for AI trainers, with 10,900 incomes the credential.