Competition for top artificial intelligence talent is intensifying among major tech firms in China. A recent high-profile poaching move involving a DeepSeek researcher has highlighted the fierce battle for AI expertise across the sector.

As China’s artificial intelligence sector accelerates, competition for top talent has intensified among major tech companies, with firms increasingly poaching from rivals while also attracting researchers from overseas hubs such as Silicon Valley. A reported high-profile personnel move involving DeepSeek researcher Guo Daya recently drew attention to the sensitivity surrounding AI hiring in China’s tech sector. Guo, a lead researcher on DeepSeek’s R1 model, joined ByteDance’s Seed AI development...