"Stop Brain Drain" MS Withdraws AI Research Center in China

MSRA China to Canada Relocation Plan
Response to US-China Conflict and Prevention of Talent Drain
Symbol of Tech Cooperation... Expected Backlash from China

Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA), a research institute gathering technical talents from Asian countries, is relocating from China to Canada. This move is seen as a response to the escalating US-China tensions and is reportedly part of the so-called 'Vancouver Plan' aimed at preventing the outflow of top-tier talent.

On the 10th (local time), the Financial Times (FT) reported that Microsoft (MS) is applying for visas to relocate MSRA experts as it establishes a new artificial intelligence (AI) research center in Vancouver, Canada. The number of Chinese AI specialists included in the relocation plan is estimated to be between 20 and 40.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Researchers referred to MS's policy as the 'Vancouver Plan.' They described it as "a response to the rising political tensions between the US and China and a defensive strategy to prevent top talent from being recruited by China, which is desperate to develop a domestic version of 'Chat GPT.'"

One researcher who applied for a visa said about the relocation, "We could be overworked by Chinese companies or pressured by authorities," adding, "Employees have been discussing these risks among themselves." Another researcher explained, "If it is in a third country other than the US or China, active technical discussions might accelerate."

They said they recently received job offers from Chinese internet companies but rejected their approaches and instead applied for visas to move to Canada.

MSRA is a research institution established by MS in collaboration with renowned Taiwanese computer scientist Kai-Fu Lee, aiming to cultivate technical talent in China. MS employs over 9,000 people in China, with more than 80% being engineers or researchers.

MSRA’s relocation to Canada is expected to provoke strong opposition from China. It has been a symbol of US-China technological cooperation and a 'star incubator' for Chinese big tech, nurturing various IT talents in China. Notable MSRA alumni include Alibaba’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Wang Jian, SenseTime’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Li Ju, and AI Group Mekville’s CEO Qi In.

However, MS stated, "We are establishing a new research institute in Vancouver designed to be organizationally connected with MSRA and to collaborate with the engineering team in Vancouver," adding, "The institute will be composed of people from other research institutes worldwide, including China."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.