Tsinghua University in Beijing has appointed Alex Lamb as an assistant professor in its College of Artificial Intelligence (CAI).

Lamb, a senior researcher at Microsoft’s New York lab, will start in the fall of 2025, which typically occurs from September to November.

He holds a doctorate in computer science from the University of Montreal and studied under Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio.

His prior experience includes positions at Amazon and Google Brain.

At Tsinghua, Lamb is now accepting applications from prospective PhD and master’s students with backgrounds in machine learning and reinforcement learning.

This recruitment occurs amid intensified competition between China and the US in the AI sector, influenced by new restrictions on technology funding and exports from Washington.

🔗 Source: South China Morning Post

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ US visa obstacles creating reverse brain drain in critical AI sector

Lamb’s move to China represents a growing trend where restrictive immigration policies are pushing top AI talent away from the US, despite America’s historical advantage in attracting global researchers.

Nearly 75% of scientists surveyed by Nature in March 2025 reported they were considering leaving the US for opportunities in Europe and Canada due to visa uncertainties and research funding challenges 1.

The talent shift is particularly concerning for AI development, as foreign nationals earn a significant percentage of AI-related advanced degrees in the US, with research showing nearly half of top AI researchers in America were originally from China 1.

Recent high-profile cases highlight the issue’s severity, such as accomplished researchers like OpenAI’s Kai Chen, a core contributor to GPT-4.5, facing visa denials despite over a decade of living and working in the US 2.

This talent exodus threatens America’s leadership position in AI, as researchers who might have previously stayed in the US after graduation are increasingly taking their skills to countries with more welcoming policies.

2️⃣ China’s strategic approach to AI talent acquisition is gaining momentum

Tsinghua University’s recruitment of Lamb illustrates China’s comprehensive strategy to build world-class AI institutions through targeted talent acquisition and substantial financial investment.