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Zooming in on WorldSkills - How China is reshaping skills in an age of AI, automation. Xinhua 26 Sep 2026, 15:15 GMT+ SHANGHAI, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) - In the foyer of the WorldSkills Conference in Shanghai in east China, several overseas participants gathered around a robot, curious to see how it would handle an unusual request, namely marriage advice. When a male participant asked what to do if his wife talked too much, the robot suggested a "three-second rule" before responding. The exchange drew laughter, with one participant joking that it could make a decent marriage counselor. This light-hearted exchange touched on a broader question being discussed at this year's WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai: which skills are difficult for AI to replace, and what new capabilities will people need in an age of AI? WHAT AI CAN'T REPLACE At the digital interactive media design venue, contestants move from product planning to image processing, video production and interaction design during more than 20 hours of competition. Notably, even as AI begins to take over some basic work in the industry, the training remains highly demanding. Zhou Jiaxiang, a member of China's national training squad, described a six-hour video-production module in which contestants may have to adjust dozens or even hundreds of parameters, fine-tune transitions frame by frame and repeatedly render the footage. AI can generate some visual effects within seconds, Zhou said, but the output is often not ready for delivery. Text, a character's gaze, fingers or facial movements may still contain visible flaws, requiring professionals to identify the problem, give precise instructions for revision, and further process the results with conventional software. A professional designer, as Kuang Ying, a professor at East China Normal University's Faculty of Education, put it, can "train AI like a doctoral student," using expertise and judgment to push it toward better results. She said the judgment and aesthetic sense of highly skilled designers remain difficult to replicate. The same question extends beyond creative work. At the retail competition, contestants first build up a store setting, arranging merchandise and visual displays before moving on to face-to-face sales and simulated after-sales complaints. This event also tests online livestreaming and staff training. Beyond the competition arena, AI is already gaining ground in retail. During the first four hours of this year's "618" shopping festival, the number of merchants using JD.com's AI-powered digital hosts for livestreaming surged sixfold year on year, generating more than 70 million yuan (10.37 million U.S. dollars) in sales, according to the company. Yet Lu Chunhua, the venue manager for the WorldSkills retail competition, said: "The core competitiveness of retail is providing emotional value and touching people. That is something AI cannot replace." ONE SPECIALTY, MULTIPLE CAPABILITIES AI's impact, experts said, is not limited to taking over parts of existing work. It is also raising demand for workers who can combine a core specialty with digital and cross-disciplinary skills. At the Industry 4.0 competition, contestants worked to integrate production equipment and other manufacturing resources into a unified system. The project simulates the operation of a smart factory, requiring skills ranging from mechanical assembly and electrical wiring to PLC programming, data collection and analysis, and production scheduling optimization. "Skilled workers in the new era need 'one specialty plus multiple capabilities,'" said Zhang Rui, deputy director of the engineering training center at Tianjin University of Technology and Education in north China. She added that workers who can use digital tools, work across disciplines, and think innovatively are likely to be increasingly sought after. This shift is also reshaping what counts as expertise in software. At the Web Technologies competition, contestants are expected to do more than write code - they have to understand client needs, design solutions, build databases and programs, and test and debug the final product. Wu Yingxiang, a technical expert and coach for the Chinese team in WorldSkills Web Technologies, said AI is making code generation much faster, pushing programmers toward broader roles. "Every programmer may now become a project manager and a product manager," he said. Data shows that demand for AI-related skills has risen rapidly in China in recent years. Newly posted campus-recruitment positions in AI increased 47.3 percent year on year in the first five months of 2026, according to data from the talent research arm of Maimai, a Chinese networking and recruitment platform. Over the past five years, more than 20 newly recognized occupations have been closely related to AI, with over 40 percent directly linked to future industries. China is moving quickly to address the emerging talent gap. In April, five government departments, including the Ministry of Education, issued an "AI Plus Education" action plan, with measures including upgrading traditional vocational programs, developing new curricula and training systems, and strengthening school-company cooperation for emerging AI-related jobs. The ministry added 27 programs to the country's vocational education catalog in July, covering fields like the digital economy, AI, the low-altitude economy and advanced equipment, with new offerings related to humanoid robots. Schools are adjusting their programs accordingly. Ge Rui, principal of Shanghai Information Technology College, said the college is planning to reshape its professional clusters around areas including AI and industrial digitalization during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), in response to Shanghai's evolving industrial landscape. As training changes, the question is no longer whether workers will use AI, but how they will work with it. Francis Hourant, president of WorldSkills International, said that adapting to the changes in the future is not an either-or choice between humans and AI. "It is not AI in the end. It is the combination of humans and AI," he explained. Asked what young people need most to keep pace with this change, Hourant gave a short but telling answer: "Lifelong learning."

Retail technology innovation of the week: LolaLiza taps AI fashion avatar for new store opening. Retail Technology Innovation of the Week is a series brought to you by RTIH, highlighting stand out deployments, launches, and initiatives by retailers and tech suppliers. Every week, Retailtechinnovationhub showcase forward thinking tech plays that have impressed its Editor and the Retail Technology Innovations Report judging panel, building up to the publication of the 2026 report later this year. And this week Retailtechinnovationhub is focusing on LolaLiza which has opened a new store featuring a custom AI fashion avatar created by Screenix. Displayed on a Samsung spatial screen and brought into the store in conjunction with DOBIT, the avatar aims to showcase LolaLiza's collections in a fresh and dynamic way. A spokesperson for Screenix says: "It turns traditional digital signage into dynamic inspirational content that feels completely at home in the physical retail environment. A great example of how technology, content and strong partnerships can create more engaging in-store experiences." They add: "A big thank you to LolaLiza for the trust, and to Samsung Display Solutions and DOBIT for the great collaboration. Congratulations to the entire LolaLiza team on the opening. We're proud to be part of it." And honourable mentions this week to... Tesco is introducing new virtual try-on technology for the first time, as part of a trial at its Sandhurst Extra store. Powered by AIUTA tech, the experience lets customers virtually try on around 1,500 items of F&F clothing across womenswear and menswear by taking a photo or uploading a photo of themselves onto a digital try-on screen in the clothing department, or selecting a digital model to view clothes in different sizes. The trial is designed to understand how Tesco can help customers browsing in-store to discover new styles and feel more confident before they buy. The virtual try-on screen forms part of a wider F&F refresh at Sandhurst Extra, which includes new changing rooms and a dedicated service hub for easier checking out and returns. Customers will also see a larger F&F range in-store and a refreshed look and feel with new signage, updated lighting and a focus on showcasing the F&F range across womenswear, menswear and childrenswear. JD.com reports that its first 101HOME store will open on 28th September in Jing'an District Shanghai. Building on the launch of an online flagship store in 2025, this is pitched as a premium lifestyle retail destination that brings together global design, home furnishing solution, smart technology, fashion, renovation services, dining, art and cultural experiences under one roof. The retailer says that with its global sourcing capabilities, self-operated retail model and omnichannel infrastructure, 101HOME will offer a seamless "shopping upon seeing" experience, allowing consumers to explore new possibilities for their homes and discover the art of everyday living. Spanning approximately 12,000 square metres across four floors, 101HOME is designed to meet the evolving needs of consumers from age 0 to 101, across different life stages, household structures and lifestyles. It brings together more than 1,000 full category home and lifestyle brands, including over 30 international brands making their China debut and more than 150 domestic and international brands making their JD.com debut. At the heart of 101HOME are 33 "Dream Homes", designed for different living situation, family structures, lifestyles and interests. The Shanghai store features spaces created by British designer Kelly Hoppen, and Japanese designers Shuhei Aoyama and Takashi Honma. Chinese designer Wang Heng (Ryan) draws on Song dynasty inspired aesthetics to create a three-generation family home. Consumers can step into fully designed home settings and see how furniture, lighting and furnishings come together, offering inspiration for their own homes. "101HOME is designed to go beyond traditional home retailing, bringing together home design, lifestyle trends and social experiences under one roof," says Billy Bao, Head of 101HOME at JD.com. "We want to create a unique experience where consumers can discover new products, explore different ways of living and find inspiration for their own homes. With JD.com's global sourcing and supply chain capabilities, we can help turn that inspiration into reality, making it easier for consumers to create a home that reflects their individual lifestyles." Powered by JD.com's JoyAI and JoyInside technologies, smart home solutions demonstrate applications across entry systems, kitchens, bathrooms, sleep and health management. The store also features dozens of robotic products. There is also a here cafe, a popular coffee brand from Kyoto; ICE BOUQUET, known for its floral inspired gelato; JUANZONG Books; DEVINE'R NYC, a New York coffee and lifestyle brand; and Foyer de Lumiere, a Japanese-French bistro, several of which are making their mainland China or Shanghai debuts. 101HOME also offers more than 300 Burgundy wines, with over 100 available by the glass. Seven public artworks are also integrated across different floors and public spaces. The experience is accessible digitally through a WeChat mini programme and the JD.com app. StrongPoint has signed a contract with VILLOID, a Norwegian online fashion platform for women. This will see it design and install its new Pio facility, created by AutoStore, a warehouse automation solution. The contract value is approximately NOK 17 million, and the installation is expected to be completed by Q2 2027. VILLOID is moving its fulfilment centre to a new location, and the new Pio system will be doubled in size as the retailer requires additional capacity to support future growth. When completed the system is expected to be the largest Pio installation in the world. "Retailers like VILLOID are looking for partners that understand their fulfilment operations, not just automation. That aligns with StrongPoint's focus on customer intimacy, working closely with customers to understand their operations, improve operational outcomes, and act as a partner rather than simply a supplier. We look forward to supporting VILLOID on its expanding automation journey," says Jacob Tverabaak, StrongPoint CEO. "We have had a very positive experience with AutoStore Pio over several years. World class logistics with same-day delivery has been a key driver of our strong and profitable growth, delivering on customers' expectations of exceptional fulfilment service. StrongPoint will be a valuable partner as we continue our expansion, and with the new, larger Pio system we look forward to the additional capacity as we scale toward our next milestones. The facility will be the largest AutoStore Pio facility in the world," says Jeanette Dyhre Kvisvik, CEO and Founder at VILLOID.

Business brief (sept. 23): China's top 500 private firms unveiled. Published: Sep. 23, 2026 6:31 p.m. GMT+8 Gift this article 00:00 / 00:38 Listen to the full version JD.com, Alibaba and Hengli Group took the top three spots on the 2026 China top 500 private enterprises list, followed by Huawei in fourth place. The 500 companies generated a total revenue of 44.9 trillion yuan last year, up 4% on average for each enterprise, and a combined net profit of 1.8 trillion yuan, an average increase of 1% for each enterprise. Unlock exclusive discounts with a Caixin group subscription - ideal for teams and organizations.