Lenovo has announced it plans to hire 12,000 R&D professionals over the next three years to support research and development across the company's "client-edge-cloud-network-intelligence" IT architecture.

The new hires will be in addition to around the 5,000 hires the company made during the last financial year, the company said.

Some of the specific roles of these new hires, according to the Chinese PC maker, will include developing new products and business models, incubating technologies from edge computing to technology that can help businesses "capitalise on the metaverse, and emerging and disruptive innovation like next-generation AI and heterogeneous computing".

Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang laid out the plans as the company enters the new financial year. He said that R&D remains a priority for Lenovo, and took the opportunity to reiterate the company's commitment to double its R&D spending over the next three years.

"Our investment plan will centre around the 'Client-Edge-Cloud-Network-Intelligence' architecture, with a three-track approach to focus on short-, medium- and long-term payback," he said.

"Our intention is to optimise between technology with quick market returns and foundational research, and between continuous improvement and breakthrough innovation."

Alongside its R&D commitments, Lenovo announced its goal to become net-zero by 2050. The company claims it exceeded its 2020 emissions reduction goals a year ahead of scheduled and has already established science-based targets for 2030.

During its Q3 results, Lenovo reported that cloud, digital transformation, and hybrid work tailwinds brought the company its sixth consecutive quarter of net income growing over 50%, with the company earning$640 million during the period.

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