Research Report on the Distribution and Mobility of Global Young AI Scientists (2025) released

From October 24 to 26, the World Young Scientist Summit 2025 (WYSS 2025) was held in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province.

During the event, the Research Report on the Distribution and Mobility of Global Young AI Scientists (2025) was released. According to the statistical criteria, young scientists are defined as those aged 45 and under. The Report primarily used high-quality journal and conference papers in the AI field as data sources and, based on the authors’ educational backgrounds, research outputs, and career history, identified 126,248 valid samples of young scientists. It analyzed the geographical distribution of their research activities and characteristics of international mobility.

It was found that, based on the latest affiliated institutions of the authors, these young scientists are distributed across 133 countries or regions, but are mainly concentrated in a few nations with strong scientific research capabilities. The top 10 countries or regions, including China, the United States, India, England, Germany, Japan, South Korea, France, Canada, and Australia, account for 83.74% of the total.

By tracking changes in the institutions where these young AI scientists are affiliated with, the Report further examined the characteristics of international talent mobility. The data show that the United States ranks first in terms of net inflow, followed by England. Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia also feature prominently in the net inflow rankings. In contrast, countries like India and Iran experienced significant net outflows, while some traditional scientific powerhouses, including Italy, France, South Korea, Japan, and China, also saw varying degrees of net outflow.

The study also found large-scale bidirectional mobility between China and countries such as Australia and Singapore.

Jointly organized by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and the Zhejiang Provincial Government, the WYSS 2025 is one of a series of activities organized for the CAST International Month 2025: Openness, Cooperation, Trust. Held under the theme “S.T.I. Bridges, Humanity Orients,” International Month 2025 brings international science and technology organizations, local governments, national societies, and provincial associations together to deepen dialogue and expand cooperation between Chinese and international scientists for shared progress.

Sources: World Association of Young Scientists, Southern Metropolis Daily, VOC